Mohammad Alirezaei

For the first time in history, Iran’s swimmer Mohammad Alirezaei took the berth of 2008 Olympic Games.
According to ISNA, the 22-year-old swimmer is the first Iranian who booked a place in the 2008 Beijing Games. He improved his own record in 100-meter frog kick event by 0.89seconds, clocking 1.03.03 minutes at the international swimming competition in Dubrovnik, Croatia on Thursday.
According to FINA (FŽdŽration Internationale de Natation), the international swimming body, the required time to qualify for the Olympic Games is 1.03.72.
Meanwhile, head of the Physical Education Organization, Mohammad Aliabadi, congratulated Alirezaei’s success. In a statement, he said, “I’m glad to see that after so many years of organizations and preparations we hopefully can have a representative in the Olympics swimming. I’m sure by investing in swimming and gymnastics--which are basic sport fields--Iranian athletes, stand on top of the continental and international stages.“
Meanwhile, Vahid Moradi head of Iran Swimming Federation (ISF) in an interview with Mehr News Agency said, “As you know swimming is completely different from other sport fields. For taking this Olympic berth we organized the team properly.“
Since many great swimmers from across the globe are going to participate in the Olympics competitions “we do not expect him to win the gold medal. But I’m totally sure Iranian swimmers will do their best in the 2010 Asian Guangzhou games to be held in China,“ he added.
Referring to another international competition scheduled for the next year in Rome, Italy Moradi said, “Our swimmers previously showed that in International competitions they can do their best.“
Meanwhile, Iranian swimmer, Mohammad Bidarian, has refused to compete with his Israeli rival in the 100-meter freestyle event in Croatia, Presstv reported.
Bidarian advanced to the semifinal in the 100-meter breaststroke event after he clocked 52.25 seconds on Thursday morning.
Despite the fact that Bidarian had a chance to get an Olympic berth for Iran, the 19-year-old gave up the competition as he was grouped with an Israeli swimmer on Thursday evening.
Swimmers from 13 countries have attended the international event which opened in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik on July 10 and will last until July 13.

Iran futsal players posing for a group photo.

The 20 participating nations at the FIFA Futsal World Cup 2008 received a taste of things to come on, when the city of Brasilia hosted the Final Draw for the tournament. According to FIFA, during the first phase of the FIFA Futsal World Cup 2008, the teams will battle it out for supremacy in four groups of five. The top two from each section will advance to a second group phase, which will ultimately decide the four semifinalists.
As well as allocating the 20 qualifiers their respective groups, the event in the Brazilian capital also had the tournament’s official poster and mascot unveiled to the public.
After winning the first three editions of the event, Brazil will be hoping their passionate home support can help them wrest the title back from two-time champions Spain, who eliminated the Canarinhos in 2000 and 2004. “Teams from other continents than Europe or South America have made important progress in the past years, especially the Asians ones, and that will reflect on the technical level of the game,“ said Manoel Tobias.
“I think Spain has been drawn in the toughest group, since they will play against Czech Republic and Iran. The Spaniards are the favorites, but today we very well know there won’t be any easy matches. I do hope Brazil can give joy to the people and recapture the throne at home.“
The sixth edition of the sport’s showpiece event will take place in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia on September 30-October 13. For the first time in its history 20 teams will take part instead of 16.
“After increasing the number of participating teams, the FIFA Futsal World Cup will be the second biggest FIFA event with 56 matches, only behind the FIFA World Cup,“ said Jim Brown after the draw.

Final Draw results
Group A: Brazil, Russia, Japan, Cuba, Solomon Islands
Group B: Italy, Portugal, Thailand, Paraguay, US
Group C: Argentina, Ukraine, China, Guatemala, Egypt
Group D: Spain, Czech Republic, Iran, Uruguay, Libya

David Trezeguet

Striker David Trezeguet, who ended his France career on Wednesday, said Raymond Domenech was not up to the job of national coach and should have been fired after Euro 2008. “We are all aware that Domenech is not up to the task of being at the head of France, but nobody is willing to draw the consequences,“ he was quoted as saying by sports daily L’Equipe on Thursday.
“I feel like Les Bleus have become more of a political issue than a sports one.“
Trezeguet was left out of the squad for Euro 2008 and France bowed out of the competition after finishing bottom of their group with just one point and one goal from three matches.
“After the failure (at Euro 2008), I thought, like most French people: ’he has to go’. In every other country, they are wondering what the French are doing,“ he said.
The 30-year-old striker had an uneasy relationship with Domenech, who called him up only five times after the 2006 World Cup final, which France lost to Italy on penalties with Trezeguet missing a spot kick.
“Do you think I have forgotten the 2006 final against Italy? Sooner or later, football enables you to get your revenge. By depriving me of the Euro, this possibility was taken away from me,“ he said.
Domenech was told last week he could stay in the post he has held since 2004. Didier Deschamps, captain of the France team that won the 1998 World Cup, had been tipped to take over from Domenech.
Asked if he would have made the same decision had Deschamps been named France coach, Trezeguet said: No, the only thing I asked was a clear posture from him (Domenech). I should have been part of the group.“

Inter Milan Coach Jose Mourinho has said Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard was the best professional he had worked with in his coaching career.
“Frank Lampard is a different kind of person, not so extroverted. He is the best professional I have ever worked with,“ Mourinho said in an interview on feelfootball.com.
“He’s the player that trains better, has more concentration, more commitment and is always focused.“
New Inter coach Mourinho is keen to link up again with Lampard having won two Premier League titles with the 30-year-old while in charge of Chelsea. However, the west London club said this week they would not enter into negotiations with the Serie A champions over the England player, who has a year left on his contract.
“He is never happy about his performance, always wants to improve, and always wants to learn. Lampard is incredibly professional,“ said Mourinho in an interview recorded in May but only approved for release by him this week.
He stated that God gave players the talent but some of them waste their talent and only some of them with this kind of mentality make themselves better and these are the kind of the players that can last forever.
“If he makes a mistake in a game, the next day in training he wants to stay one more hour to practice exactly that situation. I remember he missed a goal once with a difficult left-foot volley and the next day in training he was there one hour after the training session practicing that volley with the left foot,“ Mourinho added.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo hinted that he may ask to leave Manchester United for Real Madrid, saying he agreed with FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s assertion that he is being treated like a slave. Ronaldo, who scored 42 goals last season, hasn’t asked for a transfer but has said he’d like to join Real Madrid. He has almost four years remaining on his contract, and Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson says Ronaldo isn’t for sale. Still, Blatter has said United should let Ronaldo depart if he wants to.
“I completely agree with the statements of the FIFA president. He is right,“ Ronaldo told Portuguese broadcaster TVI on Thursday.
Ronaldo reiterated his previously stated desire to join the Spanish La Liga champion.
“You know what I said, what I want and what I would like,“ he said. “Now I have to wait and see.“
The 23-year-old wing expects to be sidelined 10-12 weeks following surgery Monday on his right ankle. He said he would spend two weeks on crutches and it will be two months before he can kick a ball.
“If the player wants to play somewhere else, then a solution should be found,“ Blatter told Sky News.
“If he stays in a club where he does not feel comfortable to play, then it’s not good for the player and for the club. I’m always in favor of protecting the player, and if the player wants to leave, let him leave. In football there is too much modern slavery.“
Ronaldo won 2007 English PFA Player of the year and Young Player of the Year awards, and third in the 2007 World Player of the Year award, Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the most talented footballers of his generation.