TEHRAN - Milad Taghavi, president of Iran Volleyball Federation (IRIVF), has voiced his frustration over the dismal performance of Team Melli in the 2024 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) and also explained the reasons behind firing Mauricio Motta Paes as Iran coach.

Iran volleyball team have suffered eight losses in the 2024 VNL so far.

 “We could have won matches against Turkey, Bulgaria, Argentina, or even Serbia,” Taghavi stated. “We didn’t sack Paes to find a scapegoat. We hired him to implement changes, but with eight losses in eight games, it's obvious that no change happened. This shake-up was necessary, even if it doesn’t yield immediate results in Week 3.”

Taghavi explained the rationale for sacking Paes, saying, “We had to respond because Paes didn't bring about any changes within the team. While we have dismissed Paes, I don’t believe the new generation of Iranian volleyball players should work under a local coach. We are currently negotiating with three top-tier international coaches, but since they are all committed to their Olympic teams, we must wait until the Olympics conclude. We will eventually reach an agreement with one of them.”

The IRIVF dismissed the Brazilian coach following a series of poor results. The 61-year-old coach, who was appointed as head coach in late February, was dismissed after team's lackluster showing in the VNL. Under his leadership, Iran suffered seven consecutive defeats, falling to the bottom of the standings and losing their chance to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games.

In response to these setbacks, Peyman Akbari, Iranian assistant of Paes, has been appointed as interim coach until the end of the VNL. However, Akbari's tenure also began poorly with an additional loss against Turkey, marking the team’s eighth consecutive defeat.

Taghavi also addressed the issue of players who declined national team invitations. “We have sent letters to those players, asking them to submit their reasons for withdrawing to the disciplinary committee. Players who cannot provide valid documentation for their absence will face punishment.”

The IRIVF's decisive actions reflect a determination to revive the fortunes of Iran’s national volleyball team and establish a foundation for future success on the international stage.