After having issues with obtaining visas for the entire team, the Tehran club has cancelled its trip to Spain.  The club was set to train in Spain and play a few matches against Spanish clubs for preparation.  Spokesman for the club, Majid Farrokhzadi said “We are trying to make alternate arrangements in neighboring Turkey, and if we are not successful, we will continue our training in Iran.”

Club coach, Afshin Ghotbi who has been on vacation and was to meet the team in Spain is planning to head directly back to Iran.  Farrokhzadi said of the coach’s  return that “Ghotbi has to join the team in Iran as soon as possible so that the final stages of preparations can continue in a more cohesive fashion and no more time is lost.”

The Tehran club is currently on a two day break and according to Afshin Payrovani, the assistant to coach Ghotbi, “We had planned to have these two days off in preparation for the trip to Europe. In case the trip is cancelled we will resume our training after break at home and on schedule.”  

There is speculation that the National Physical Education Organization was generally not thrilled that the Iranian team wanted to train outside of their country.  Mohammad Aliabadi, the head of the National Physical Education Organization said “The Physical Education Organization’s position is of the opinion that any such trips are unnecessary as Iran is a big country and there are suitable high altitude and sea level training camps available right here.”

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