TEHRAN – After a three-month coaching vacancy, Iran's national sabre fencing team have a new head coach.

Mohammad Rahbari, a former national champion, has been appointed to lead the team, the federation announced on Saturday.

The decision was made during a meeting attended by Alireza Poursalman, president of the Iran Fencing Federation, and members of the national sabre team.

Rahbari,32, who had previously expressed his intention to retire from competitive fencing after the 2024 Paris Olympics, said, “I was considering retiring after the Olympics, but then I received a coaching offer from China. After discussing this with the federation president, I decided to take on the role of coaching the national team.”

The former champion added, “I have ambitious plans for the team and I hope to create a strong foundation for future generations of fencers. I will be working closely with the experienced members of the team while also giving opportunities to younger athletes.”

Poursalman expressed his satisfaction with Rahbari's appointment, stating, “Mohammad Rahbari has decided to transition from being a player to a coach. He will not be competing in the upcoming 2024 Fencing World Cup in Algeria but will instead take on the role of coach."

Regarding the search for a foreign coach, Poursalman said, “We had serious negotiations with several foreign coaches, but due to the current regional situation, we have decided to postpone this decision.”

The Iranian sabre fencing team has faced significant challenges in recent months, with the coaching vacancy causing considerable concern among the fans and officials. Poursalman has faced criticism for the team's lack of a head coach after the 2024 Olympics, when Peyman Fakhri resigned as the head coach of Iran national team.