On the sidelines of the Asian Paralympic Committee conference, Dr. Jalil Koohpayeh Zadeh, President of the Federation, met and held discussions with Dan Priman, Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Wheelchair Basketball Federation. Their meeting focused on the development of wheelchair basketball, particularly in the three-player format, bringing encouraging messages for Iran’s disabled sports community.
According to the Public Relations office of the Federation, during this cordial meeting, both sides explored opportunities for joint cooperation and emphasized the development of men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball, with a special focus on the emerging three-player discipline.
Dan Priman acknowledged the technical and competitive standing of Iran’s national wheelchair basketball teams, highlighting their participation in the Asia-Pacific Championships in Thailand and the Para-Asian Games in Nagoya as critical factors in raising the quality of these events.
He expressed keen interest in seeing Iranian three-player teams compete internationally, stating:
“We know Iran’s three-player teams were prepared to compete in the Asia-Pacific Championships but were unable to participate for various reasons. We understand your situation well, but we remain eager for Iran’s strong presence in future wheelchair basketball competitions.”
Priman also pointed to the global significance of three-player basketball for the expansion of the sport and expressed hope that this discipline will be included as a core event at the 2032 Paralympic Games.
In the meeting, Dr. Koohpayeh Zadeh reported:
“Since the beginning of 2025, with organized planning, we have launched men’s and women’s three-player wheelchair basketball in both youth and adult categories.”
He welcomed the regional federation’s support and emphasized Iran’s readiness to participate in upcoming competitions, aiming for outstanding results at both continental and global levels.
In closing, Dan Priman praised the influential position of Iran’s national wheelchair basketball team and expressed hope that Iran’s participation in the Para-Asian Games Nagoya will play a major role in elevating competition standards and attracting audiences. He also pledged his full support for Iran’s developmental programs in this field.
