Iranian Taekwondo Chief Defends Federation’s Record, Decries “Unjust” Media Criticism
In an exclusive and wide-ranging interview, Hadi Saei, the President of the Iran Taekwondo Federation and a celebrated Olympic champion, has robustly defended the performance of the national teams at the recent World Championships in Wuxi, China, while launching a strong critique against what he termed “unjust” and “deceptive” media coverage.
A Landmark Achievement Overshadowed
The 2023 World Taekwondo Championships set a new record with 179 participating nations, a testament to the sport’s global growth. For Iran, the competition yielded a significant milestone: the men’s team clinched the vice-champion title, marking their return to the world podium after an eight-year absence.
“Securing the title of World Vice-Champion for the men’s team was highly significant,” Saei stated, emphasizing the value of this achievement in an intensely competitive field where gold medals were distributed among seven different countries.
Addressing the Women’s Team Results
While the men’s team celebrated, the women’s team did not secure any medals—a point heavily focused on by critics. Saei acknowledged the result but provided context, highlighting that the level of competition was exceptionally high. He pointed out that, unlike in previous world championships, most of the female athletes advanced beyond the first round, indicating a qualitative improvement in their performance despite the lack of medals.
“The opponents of our female athletes were not weak; they were medalists and competitors who had also participated in the Olympics,” Saei explained, countering narratives that attributed the results to a lack of preparedness.
A Firm Defense of Leadership and Family
A significant portion of the criticism has been directed at the federation’s leadership and the role of Saei’s sister, Mehr-o-Voz Saei, as the head coach of the women’s team. Saei addressed this head-on, framing the attacks as a politically motivated effort to undermine him.
“Some individuals feel they cannot challenge me directly, so they try to hit me through my sister,” he asserted. “When victories happen, they are credited to others, but when there are losses, they are attributed to her, even when she was not the head coach at the time.”
Saei expressed his unwavering support for his sister and all the coaching staff, praising their hard work and dedication. He stated that the persistent criticism has only made him “more determined” to continue supporting the federation’s technical teams.
Challenging “Deceptive Experts” and Media Narratives
The taekwondo chief reserved his strongest words for certain media commentators, accusing them of spreading falsehoods and misleading the public.
“I see that injustice is being done to my entire federation,” Saei said. “So-called ‘experts’ come on national media and feed the people a series of lies and incorrect statistics… I will definitely stand against this and defend the rights of my federation, our athletes, and our staff.”
He lamented that the men’s team’s world vice-championship was being downplayed and that even the nation’s Olympic medalists were not immune to unfair critique, with some attempting to claim credit for past successes they were not responsible for.
Call for Official Recognition
Saei also expressed disappointment with sports officials for what he perceived as a lack of recognition for the men’s team’s achievement. “It is truly unfair for officials to ignore this and not support taekwondo,” he remarked. “We expected at least a congratulatory message for our boys and technical staff. The world vice-champion title in taekwondo after eight years is very valuable.”
Looking Ahead with Resolve
Concluding the interview, Saei affirmed that no major changes were planned for the national teams’ technical staff, emphasizing a policy of continuity and support. He reiterated his commitment to leading Iranian taekwondo forward, guided by results and a steadfast belief in the federation’s path.
“We have always responded to unfairness with our performance,” Saei declared, “and we will continue to do so, answering our critics with future achievements.”