Iran may not be able to participate in the IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Cup 2026, which starts in Ottawa on Wednesday. The reason is that visas for two members of the Iranian coaching staff have not yet been issued.
The 15th edition of this Championship will take place in Canada from September 9 to 19. Iran is one of the sixteen teams participating in the tournament and has been placed in Group D, where it will play against Morocco, Germany, and the host country, Canada.
Iran's head coach, Behrouz Soltani, reported that Canada, as the host, has processed visas for the players, but visas for the head and assistant coaches have not yet been obtained, and time is running short. He expressed hope for a quick resolution to this issue so that the team can participate in the competition, given the remaining time.
Soltani added that if the visas are issued, they will participate in the tournament; otherwise, there is a possibility of missing the World Cup. He noted that despite the desire to achieve the best results, such a situation could disrupt their planned preparation.
The coach also mentioned that the team successfully completed a training camp in Turkey, and the visa application process was handled meticulously. Since embassies are closed on Saturday and Sunday, and the competition begins on Wednesday, he urged that the issue be resolved as soon as possible so that the well-prepared team can arrive at the tournament in time.