good news iran: Foolad crowned champions of Asian Club Volleyball C’ship

Foolad Sirjan of Iran defeated Qatari side Al-Arabi 3-1 (25-19, 21-25, 25-23, 25-22).

Earlier in the day, Burevestnik Almaty of Kazakhstan eased past Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima QminC 3-0 (25–23, 25–17, 25–21) in the bronze medal match.

Saber Kazemi chipped in with 28 points including 22 attacks from 46 attempts and 5 aces for Sirjan, while Mahdi Jelveh kept good company to contribute 14 points. Felipe Bandero scored a team-high 21 points for Al-Arabi SC including 17 kills from 40 attempts.

Kazemi was named the competition’s MVP.

The competition was held in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand from Oct. 8 to 15.

Foolad Sirjan will represent Iran at the 2021 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship.

Paykan Tehran holds the record for most victories, winning the competition seven times. Iranian teams have won the tournament 15 times, the most for any nation.

The Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship, previously the AVC Cup Men’s Club Tournament (between 1999–2002), is an annual continental club volleyball competition organized by the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), the sport’s continental governing body.

The competition was first contested in 1999 in China. It was not held in 2003 and 2020 due to the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic respectively.

ZZ/TT