Sports an Issue in Iran's Elections
Iran's sports clubs have become politicized in recent years and are an issue in the presidential contest.
"Should I get elected, my government will transfer the management of sports back to professionals."
This was one of the statements by presidential candidate Ali Akbar Velayati during a televised debate on June 5. This reference to sports is a reflection of a key deficiency in Iran's sports activities during the Ahmadinejad years. In fact, a number of leading sportsmen, head coaches of popular clubs and other stakeholders have complained that in the past few years, a number of sports clubs and affairs have been transferred to political or military organizations. This fact has undermined the performance of Iranian clubs and has led to tensions between professional and political stakeholders.
