The Minister of Sports and Youth met with two prominent female Paralympic medalists to celebrate Iran being recognized as the world’s leading country in the development of women’s Paralympic sports.
According to the Public Relations Department of the Veterans and Disabled Sports Federation and as reported by the Ministry of Sports and Youth’s news platform, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) recently named Iran as the top country in the world for developing women’s Paralympic sports during its annual awards ceremony on March 8. The IPC honored Iran for its leadership, impactful initiatives, and efforts to promote gender equality and inclusive participation of women in sports.
To mark this achievement, the Minister of Sports and Youth, Dr. Ahmad Donyamali, hosted two distinguished female Paralympic athletes on Monday, March 18, 2024. The guests were Nireh Akef, Iran’s first female Paralympic medalist (bronze medalist at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics), and Zahra Rahimi, the youngest female medalist in Para Taekwondo at the 2024 Paris Paralympics (silver medalist). Both athletes were invited to the Ministry of Sports and Youth to share their experiences and insights.
During the meeting, Dr. Donyamali listened attentively to their stories and concerns about the challenges faced by female Paralympic athletes.
Nireh Akef, a former national Para shooting athlete, said, “When I won a medal at the Sydney Paralympics, I wished that my achievement would pave the way for other Iranian women to shine in the Paralympics. I am happy to see that this success has continued, and we witness women winning medals in every edition of the Games. Specifically, in Para shooting, Iran has many talented athletes. I hope that with the support of the head of sports in the country, we can introduce more elite athletes in this field.”
Akef, who currently heads the Para Shooting Committee of the Veterans and Disabled Sports Association in Mashhad, also requested the Minister to establish Para shooting for visually impaired athletes: “Just as we are strong in Para shooting for athletes with physical disabilities, we can also lead in sports for the visually impaired. Launching this category only requires providing the necessary equipment, such as specialized firearms with laser sensors.”
Zahra Rahimi, the youngest member of Iran’s Paralympic delegation in Paris, expressed her gratitude for the invitation and, on behalf of the national Para Taekwondo team, requested better financial support for athletes: “Para Taekwondo athletes do not have fixed salaries. Meanwhile, we need to attend regular training camps. Covering travel expenses and nutritional supplements is very challenging for us. We are currently preparing for the Youth Paralympics, and to perform strongly there, we need financial support.”
Dr. Donyamali concluded the meeting by promising to address their concerns and issuing directives to follow up on their requests. He stated, “Women’s sports in the Paralympic field have had better conditions compared to other sports in the Olympics, but I feel we need to do more, especially as we have faced some decline recently. We will certainly undertake greater initiatives for visually impaired and deaf athletes. We will also increase financial support for female athletes. The achievements of girls and women in sports have a greater psychological impact on society, as their successes are less frequent compared to men.”
The meeting was also attended by Fariba Mohammadian, Deputy Minister for Women’s Sports Development.
