KUALA LUMPUR – A minute of silence was observed before the Division 1 doubles match between Saudi Arabia and Iran to commemorate the death of the late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash.
The solemn moment took place at Titiwangsa Stadium during the Sepak Takraw World Cup today.
Raisi was travelling with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials when their helicopter was forced to make a “hard landing” in the mountainous region of northwestern Iran yesterday.
Earlier today, the Iranian Red Crescent Society confirmed Raisi’s death after the wreckage was found with “no trace of survivors.”
Despite the tragedy, Iran’s team displayed resilience in their match against Saudi Arabia, securing a 15-11, 15-8 victory in just 40 minutes.
Iran’s feeder, Sasan Maleknezhad, revealed that he only learned about the tragic news upon waking up this morning.
“I’m so sad after I heard about the news but we have a championship to play,” he said.
Earlier in the tournament, Iran triumphed over France and Pakistan in Group I.
Today’s win secures their place in the quarter-finals of the Division 1 doubles competition, with one more game to play against Germany tomorrow.
“I have a good feeling we can win the gold medal in this tournament.
“We will go for the championships, Iran sepak takraw never dies,” said the 21-year-old Maleknezhad. – May 20, 2024