According to Imna news agency, the Supreme Council of Basij Athletes was held today – Wednesday, November 7th – in the presence of Sardar Mojtaba Fida, commander of the Sahib al-Zaman Corps of Isfahan Province, managing directors of sports clubs, Seyed Mohammad Tabatabai, Acting Deputy Director of the General Directorate of Cultural Affairs of the Ministry of Sports and Youth, Mehdi Sadri, Director General of Sports and Youth of Isfahan Province, heads of Isfahan Sports Boards and other people involved in Isfahan sports.
14 martyrs from Basij athletes of Isfahan province were dedicated to the Islamic Revolution
At the beginning of this ceremony, Mohsen Shakibfar stated: holding cultural programs and ceremonies next to the sports and cultural programs that the sports institutions of the province do is our priority. In this regard, we held a blessed cultural activity for 60 nights, from the beginning of Muharram to the end of Safar, at the Basij Sports Complex with the presence of all sports teams. Along with all the cultural programs that were implemented, there were also good events for sports in the province, and the interesting thing is that all the heads of the delegations were also actively present and working with other people.
He added: Another of our cultural measures was the establishment of the province’s sports procession during the Arbaeen Hosseini walking ceremony in Amood 809, which was offered to pilgrims along with sports services. In the 12-day war, 14 martyrs from the Isfahan Province Sportsmen’s Basij were dedicated to the Islamic Revolution, and we also met with the honorable families of the martyrs.
Declaring the disgust of Isfahan sports people towards the crimes of the Zionist regime
The official of Basij athletes of Isfahan province stated: Also, with the cooperation of Sepahan and Zob Ahan clubs, before the start of the Premier League competitions, a ceremony was held to honor the families of the martyrs. In addition to all these cases, we had the implementation of the flag campaign plan that the flag of Iran, Imam Hossein is victorious forever, was waved in the stadiums.
He continued: Also, the holy flag of the Islamic Republic was waved on the sidelines of the meeting between Sepahan and Persepolis. In addition, all the sportsmen of the province declared their disgust towards the crimes of the Zionist regime, and all these cases were among the cultural actions carried out by the sports boards.
Shakibfar noted: It should be said that a working group was formed under the title of supporting and welcoming athletes who have made themselves proud in sports fields; All sports delegations have many missions to international competitions and this working group has been formed to welcome the athletes; All these programs have been the efforts of Isfahan Province Sports and Youth Department, sports boards and clubs of Sepahan and Zob Ahn, and we are trying to have bigger and more coherent cultural programs next year.
Sport is not the goal
Mehdi Sadri also said: First of all, I send greetings and salutations to the victorious soul of the great founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Imam Khomeini (RA) and all the precious martyrs of Islam who sacrificed their lives for the promotion of religion and security of this land.
He said: I am thankful to God that during the past 17 months, I have been able to attend the sports and youth group, and I have been able to take small steps in the path of the excellence of sports in the province with the caring elders and officials of this field. Sports has had a high place in our society for a long time, but we have to accept that sports can be viewed in two ways, that is, it depends on whether we consider it as a goal or a means. Religious and human teachings have taught us that sports is not a goal, but a means to achieve higher goals such as the development of morals, social solidarity, and health of mind and body.
The value of sports depends on ethics
The director of Isfahan Sports and Youth Directorate reminded: Due to the spirit of courage and daring, athletes are sometimes exposed to the danger of considering sports as an end, while it should be seen as a tool to strengthen human values and virtues. In addition to this issue, one should not neglect the margins; Because in the past years, sometimes the shadow of the sidelines has become more prominent than the essence of sports, of course, during this period, by the grace of God, a relative calm has prevailed in the sports atmosphere of the province; The peace that is the fruit of empathy, tact and support of all sports people.
He emphasized: I believe that if values are not next to sports, sports will become worthless. The value of sports depends on ethics, humanity and spirituality, just as science without ethics is harmful, sports without human values is not only not fruitful but sometimes it will be harmful. If we come to the understanding that the goal of sports is the excellence of man and society, then championships and medals also gain meaning, we must replace valuable sports with worthless sports; A sport that serves humanity and morality and does not rely on the result and apparent honor.
The spirit of collectivism is fading
Sadri added: In this direction, empathy and collective cooperation are necessary; The system of reason and experience tells us that the collective is better than the individual. The greater the unity and empathy among sports activists, the more fruitful the results will be. Imam Khomeini (RA) said: “Sometimes it is enough to just drink tea together.” It was this “being together” that shaped the Islamic revolution, the value lies in this togetherness and convergence.
He pointed out: In today’s lifestyle, this spirit of collectivism is fading. We must make a promise to ourselves to maintain convergence despite the differences in tastes, because the blessing and the effect are in the group. Just as God has promised unlimited rewards for congregational prayer, because He sees the value in “being together”; In the field of sports, if the boards and groups are placed together, the desired results will be multiplied; It is expected that we can maintain this convergence and take a step in the path of valuable sports.
Today we are engaged in a cognitive war
In the continuation of this ceremony, Ali Salehi stated: First of all, I greet all the people present in the Supreme Council of Basij Athletes’ Mobilization, and I say God bless to all the people who are on the front line of the holy front of cultural, sports and social service and struggle. Today we are proud to be with you and benefit from your valuable words and precious experiences.
He added: The first point is that today we are engaged in a cognitive war; A war that acts as a link between military, political and economic battles; In this field, there are two paths ahead of us; In fact, we must have a native and powerful platform in the virtual field and content that can be as effective as platforms such as “TikTok” and create streams, or we must create an effective alternative to those platforms so that we can excel in the field of narrative production, mind management, and conveying messages to teenagers.
Sports is one of our main priorities
A member of the Isfahan Islamic Council and the head of the cultural, social and sports commission of the Isfahan city council stated: The most important tool that we have at our disposal today, whether in the field of championships, public games or leisure time, is sports. If we can use these three areas properly, we will certainly be successful in transferring content and culture to the teenage generation.
He continued: In this direction, the sports boards, Basij athletes and the General Directorate of Sports and Youth each have vital strongholds and it is necessary to carry out their responsibilities in the best way through synergy and cooperation. In urban management, recreation and sports are one of our main priorities; In the field of infrastructure and sports events, there has been a significant growth, for example, in the field of recreation and urban games, about 25 new centers have been launched, nearly 200 billion Tomans have been invested in the field of family recreation and sports, and more than 20 sports fields and 10 new halls are being operated or opened.
A brighter and more dynamic future is waiting for Isfahan sports
Salehi noted: One of the suggestions is that the sports boards should be included in the preparation of 23 outdoor sports complexes by the municipality so that they can be present in the form of participation, investment and effective use of these spaces. Also, based on the feedback of the “Molay Arshian Cup” and “Banoi Qudsian” competitions, I suggest that the level of competitions should be developed in the form of local and neighborhood-oriented events in addition to the championship; In addition to increasing social participation, this work provides the opportunity to identify talents and the municipality is also ready to cooperate at this level.
He emphasized: In this regard, the call for handing over three artificial grass fields, three multi-purpose halls and two gymnasiums has been issued to the public and without auction to strengthen local sports. Also, I would like to congratulate the achievements of sports people, especially the championship of female athletes and the national and international honors of Isfahani athletes; In this regard, I suggest that two big celebrations be held in the first and second half of the year to celebrate national, Asian and world heroes so that people can know and appreciate their heroes better.
A member of the Isfahan Islamic Council and the head of the Isfahan City Council’s cultural, social and sports commission added: On the other hand, there is also a valuable capacity of the Isfahan City Sisterhood Cup, which, considering the international relations of the city and its tourism position, can provide an opportunity for cultural and sports exchange between the sister cities. Today, Isfahan has a suitable capacity to hold international competitions in selected disciplines, with 17 adopted sisters and several cases being concluded.
He said: In general, if we can plan urban recreation and local events in the three main areas of championship sports at the same time, with the support of people, delegations and the mobilization of athletes, a brighter and more dynamic future awaits Isfahan sports.
Zob Ahan is leading in the field of cultural activity
In the end, Seyyed Mohammad Tabatabai said: We hope that with the plans made, 15 professional sports clubs of the country can play an effective role in cultural and sports development. One of these clubs is Zob Ahan Club of Isfahan, which has always been a leader in the field of sports and culture. Currently, the comprehensive cultural and sports system of the country is being launched and it is expected to be operational in a coordinated manner within the next month. This system will help us to monitor, evaluate and evaluate the cultural activities of clubs, sports boards of cities and provinces and honor the best ones based on the results, as well as have a detailed diagnosis of the field of sports culture.
He added: In line with the missions of the Basij athletes’ mobilization group, one of the main axes of activity is to pay attention to the field of culture; The CEO of the country’s Basij Athletes Organization, with his knowledge and tact, has a very good cooperation with the Ministry of Sports in all aspects of sports. One of the vice-departments that closely cooperates with the Basij Athletes Organization is the Vice-President for Cultural Affairs and Development of Public Sports of the Ministry of Sports.
Today’s view of Isfahan sports is a cultural view
The Deputy Director of the General Department of Cultural Affairs of the Ministry of Sports and Youth clarified: Today’s view of Isfahan sports is a cultural view. Many sports events of the province are held with cultural attachment and this shows the deep attention of managers to the cultural role of sports. During the 12-day war of the Zionist regime against Iran, we also saw that the sports community of the country showed its support with the people and the armed forces by participating in the field, publishing messages and virtual activities.
He continued: Even under the bombardment, our athletes, including the national wrestling team, continued their training and brought great honors to the country with national zeal and prejudice. Winning the championship title of the national freestyle wrestling team and the second place in the Olympiad of top talents is the result of the efforts and synergy of the sports boards, counties and provincial managers, which is worthy of appreciation and we expect this trend to continue and we will see more successes in the future Olympiads.
One of the important cultural missions in sports is to promote the culture of sports for all
Tabatabai noted: One of the important cultural missions in sports is to promote the culture of sports for all. Because championship sports are formed and grow in the context of public sports; It is expected that with the cooperation of municipalities, Basij athletes organization and cultural institutions, we will be able to continue this path with strength; Before this, a valuable step was taken and Isfahan was introduced as the “capital of the country’s wrestling culture”. Today, the place of this title is empty and we hope that this valuable cultural base will be revived in Isfahan.
He reminded: Without hesitation, let’s work on strengthening culture, professional ethics and heroic character in the cities and provinces, we will see the results at the national level and federations. If the national identity, spirituality and ethics are formed from the basic levels, the athletes will not need to be warned and treated harshly at higher levels.
