5 busts belonged to Iranian Olympians were unveiled in an official ceremony launched by Iran NOC following health protocols and guidelines.
Iran NOC; Tehran: Seyed Reza Salehi Amiri, President of the National
Olympic Committee, stated: “Today is one of the best and most memorable sports
days in the country, with the presence of the Minister of Sports, presidents of
federations and educated figures whose busts will be unveiled”.
“Reviving the culture of heroism and human values is more important
than anything, and many people took the podium, but those who remained moral;
lasted and this is the way they are remembered” pointed the NOC President.
Highlighting the restrictions caused by corona virus pandemic and
importance of observing health protocols, Dr. Salehi Amiri also held: “All the memorabilia
of the athletes that are kept in the National Museum have a document and have
been officially registered. Busts of 30 athletes are ready and the 5 of which
will be unveiled today.
Dr. Salehi Amiri, emphasized that the National Museum of Sports does
not belong to any particular person and went on: “The museum belongs to the
people of Iran. We preserve the busts in this museum”.
Busts of Jafar Salmasi (deceased), Olympic Medalist in Weightlifting, Seyed
Abdollah Mojtabavi (deceased), Mohammad Ali Sanaatkaran and Askari Mohammadian,
Olympic Medalists in Wrestling and Mokhtar Nourafshan, Iranian Paralympic
Medalist were unveiled with presence of NFs’ presidents, Olympians, NOC
officials and Sports Minister, Dr. Masoud Soltanifar.
Dr.
Sltanifar, Minister of Sports and Youth stated: “the good measure taken by the
Ministry of Sports, NOC and the NPC along with national federations to set up
the museum is commendable.
A move that has
been followed for decades but for some reason did not succeed up until with the
focus and efforts of Dr. Salehi Amiri so as to become a place to record the
memories and equipment of athletes. This place informs today's and future
generations of who wrote the history of sports and made Iranian sports proud”.
Then, a separate and short clip of the biographies and honors of 5
former Olympians was displayed.