The Karate Federation in Iran has been engulfed in a significant crisis that began two years ago. Under Seyyed Mohammad Pouladgar, then Deputy Minister for Elite and Professional Sports Development at the Ministry of Sports and Youth, the Federation’s presidential election was initially postponed but eventually took place on March 13, 2023. In this election, Seyyed Hassan Tabatabaei was re-elected as president of the Karate Federation, securing 43 out of 44 votes cast.
Two candidates, Seyyed Hassan Tabatabaei and Houman Asgari, were approved by the government’s security apparatus to run. However, Asgari’s absence, which was regarded as a withdrawal per the federation’s assembly secretary, left Tabatabaei as the only candidate. Dissatisfied with the election outcome, Asgari, who failed to secure votes during the election, filed a legal complaint, arguing that proper procedures regarding notification for attending the assembly had not been followed. After a two-year legal process, the election was ultimately annulled. Consequently, the Ministry of Sports initiated steps to implement the necessary changes in the Federation’s leadership.
THE GOTHFATHER’S SHADOW OVER IRANIAN KARATE
Following the Administrative Court’s ruling to invalidate the general assembly’s election result that had appointed Tabatabaei, Ahmad Donyamali, Deputy Minister of Sports, formally appointed Mazda Soufi as the Federation’s interim head, effectively confirming the annulment.
Dr Saeed Nikookhesrat, head of the Federation’s National Teams Organization
In this atmosphere, influential figures within the karate community, referred to as the “godfather” of karate along with other opposition leaders, swiftly mobilized to achieve their objective of a leadership change. Their efforts appear to have struck at the heart of the Federation.
This decision led to additional challenges, with Saeed Nikookhesrat, head of the Federation’s National Teams Organization, resigning from his post during a training camp in Tabriz. His resignation adds a new layer of difficulty to the Federation’s technical operations.
In his resignation letter, Nikookhesrat expressed gratitude to Tabatabaei, noting, “Given his departure from the Federation and the World Championship team selection nearing completion under the technical team’s direction, I am stepping down due to academic and social commitments. The workload was extensive and unpredictable, but I had promised Hassan Tabatabaei to continue. With new management in place, I plan to address my accumulated backlog of responsibilities. I have learned greatly from the Federation’s staff, technical experts, champions, and officials, and I’ve had the privilege of connecting with many esteemed and skilled coaches during this period.”
