Iranian coach Alireza Moameri has been appointed by the Italian Volleyball Federation (FIPAV) as the new head coach of the men’s sitting volleyball national team on Thursday, February 11.
The Tehran-born 67-year-old tactician has an extensive list of successes with the Iran men’s national team in the Paralympic discipline, including gold medals at Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016 and a silver medal at London 2012.
Moameri recently coached the Thailand men’s and women’s sitting volleyball teams.
“Towards the end of my assignment in Thailand, I got in touch with the Italian Volleyball Federation. And in mid-January I met the men’s national team, a group that I am confident of having the potential physically and mentally.
“I found a really nice environment and that convinced me to accept this new challenge. For me, working with the Italian Volleyball Federation represents a great opportunity.
“If we want to talk about goals, I can say that one of the main objectives is to take the men’s national team from division B to division A in Europe.”
The appointment of Moameri is in line with the main objective of the national federation and of technical director Guido Pascari to start a growth path for the men’s national team just like what they have achieved in the programme of the women’s team that won silver at the European Championship.
About Alireza Moameri
Alireza Moameri was born in Tehran on June 7, 1954. He devoted his career to volleyball and sitting volleyball.
He has more than 16 years of experience in volleyball and has been one of the most important figures in the Iranian Super League. He served as head coach and technical director of the youth team for eight years and the senior national team.
In 2006 he was appointed as manager of Iranian club Paykan and led them to a first-place finish in the national championship and the Asian Club Championship. During the 2009/2010 season, he led the club to finish third at the Club World Championship.
has more than 16 years of experience in volleyball, playing in the Iranian Super League. He has been the head coach and technical director of the national youth teams and the senior national team for 10 years. He has devoted eight years in youth volleyball. In 2006 he was appointed manager of the Iranian club Paykan where he won first place in the national championship and the Asian Club Championship. From 2009 to 2010 he led his team to third place at the Club World Championship.
He started his career in sitting volleyball as coach of the Iranian men’s national team that won gold medal at the continental championship in Egypt. That same year, he won gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Beijing. Two years later, he became a world champion when the event was held in Oklahoma, United States. In 2012, he won silver at the Paralympics in London and won bronze at the World Championship in Elblag, Poland. His second golden success at the Paralympic Games came in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. In 2018, he obtained his second gold medal at the World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands beating their long-time rivals Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final. After his outstanding stint in the Iranian team, he became head coach of the Thai men’s and women’s national teams from 2019 to 2021.
2008: Gold medal Asian Championship, gold medal Paralympic Games
2010: Gold medal World Championship
2012: Silver medal Paralympic Games
2014: Bronze medal World Championship
2016: Gold medal Paralympic Games
2018: World Championship gold medal
Photo credit: FIPAV (In the photo the FIPAV president Giuseppe Manfredi and coach Alireza Moameri)