Iran's chef de mission Nasrollah Sajjadi said on Wednesday that the
suspension chaos with Iranian soccer team at the 15th Asian Games will not
affect their preparation and performance.
"Everything is going well with the soccer team, and the preparation work is
okay," said Sajjadi after the Iranian delegation had held the flag-raising
ceremony on Wednesday.
"And after two weeks' time, we will fight into the final. Then we will defeat
our opponent and defend our title," he said.
Defending champions Iran, who defeated Japan at Busan, South Korea, in 2002,
was suspended by FIFA from all international soccer activities on Nov. 23 due to
alleged government interference in running the game and non-adherence to their
status.
But the Iranian soccer team was back to the games after the world soccer
governing body lifted the ban temporarily on Monday, causing the most confusing
incident ahead of the official start of the Dec. 1-15 Games.
