TEHRAN - The Islamic Republic of Iran Volleyball Federation (IRIVF) said that Russian coach Vladimir Alekno has expressed his readiness to take charge of Iran's volleyball team.

The Russian coach led Iran in the 2020 Olympic Games, where Team Melli finished in ninth place.

Now, the Iranian federation has announced that Alekno has a chance to lead the team once again.

Iran has parted company with Behrouz Ataei following poor results in the 2024 Olympics qualifiers.

The federation is going to hire the new head coach and has negotiated with several well-known coaches.

The list of contenders for a place on Iran's hotseat includes Vital Heynen, a Belgian coach, as well as Gianlorenzo Blengini and Roberto Piazza from Italy, Alekno, and Peyman Akbari and Saeid Marouf from Iran.

Iran's chances of reaching the 2024 Paris Olympics are slim due to poor results in the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and the Olympic qualifiers.

Team Melli need a long-term plan to reach their best days. The federation has to find a new head coach for the national team as soon as possible.