A cordial meeting was held on Saturday, 4th Mordad (July 26, 2025), between officials from the Federation and the Weightlifting Federation. Present were Dr. Koohpayezadeh (President), Mr. Beig Rezaei (Director of Elite Sports), Mr. Fattahi (Head of the League Organization) from the Veterans and Disabled Sports Federation, alongside Dr. Anoushiravani (President) and Dr. Badi’i (Secretary) from the Weightlifting Federation.
Dr. Koohpayezadeh emphasized the importance of developing sports for veterans and the disabled, highlighting the diversity of Paralympic and non-Paralympic disciplines within the federation. He noted the significance of para-powerlifting as a medal-winning sport for Iran in international competitions, with the upcoming World Championship in Egypt this October serving as the primary qualifying event for the 2028 Paralympic Games.
He mentioned that para-powerlifting requires minimal equipment, and thanks to reverse engineering efforts, specialized benches for the sport are currently under production. These will be distributed to provincial federations to facilitate local training.
Dr. Koohpayezadeh described two key features of veterans and disabled sports: first, athletes often reach provincial and national levels quickly due to strong determination; second, athletic career longevity tends to be longer compared to Olympic sports. These factors greatly assist success in competitions.
He expressed gratitude for the Weightlifting Federation’s support, noting that the national para-powerlifting teams (men and women, juniors and seniors) are preparing for the World Championships, Islamic Solidarity Games, and the 2025 Para-Asian Games in the UAE. The use of training halls and dormitories at the Kabkanian Sports Complex, supported by Dr. Anoushiravani and colleagues, has provided the senior men’s national team with peaceful training under coach Hossein Tavakoli.
Dr. Koohpayezadeh concluded by stating the federation’s hope to leverage club capacities from the weightlifting league to establish a para-powerlifting club league, which is crucial for maintaining athletes’ readiness throughout the year.
In response, Dr. Anoushiravani warmly welcomed collaboration and pledged continued support for para-powerlifting. He thanked the federation for its efforts to develop this sport and committed to helping utilize clubs to support the para-powerlifting league.
