The volleyball world woke up to the terrible news of the death of one of Iran's greatest talents – Saber Kazemi, who passed away at just 26 years old. The news was confirmed by the Iranian Volleyball Federation and disseminated by a number of international media outlets.

🕯️ The incident that turned Saber Kazemi's life upside down.

In mid-October, shocking information emerged in Iran and around the world – Kazemi had fallen into a coma after a swimming pool incident.
The official statement from the federation at the time read:

"Saber Kazemi went to the pool to recover after training. We were told that he jumped into the water, sustained a head injury, and almost drowned. It is not true that he had a stroke or anything similar. He is currently in a hospital in Qatar and is under the influence of strong sedatives."

The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, as the cameras in the facility were not working at the time of the event. The young attacker was transported from Qatar to Tehran, where doctors fought for his life for a long time. Despite hopes for improvement, medics later diagnosed brain death, and today it was officially announced that Kazemi had been disconnected from life support.

🏐 Who was Saber Kazemi

Kazemi was an opposite hitter and one of the great hopes of Iranian volleyball. He was characterized by an explosive playing style, a powerful serve, and incredible ambition. In his short time on the international stage, he had already proven that he could become a leader of the national team.
His name was associated with high expectations for the next cycles of the Nations League and upcoming Asian championships.

😔 The sorrow of a sport.

In Iran, the day was declared a day of mourning by the national federation. Players, coaches, and fans flooded social media with messages:"Saber, you will always be with us."

"Saber was not just a player, but a symbol of the young generation in Iranian volleyball. His loss is irreparable," commented the national staff.

During the final, third week of the Volleyball Nations League, held in Gdansk (Poland), Bulgaria faced Iran in their last match of the tournament. At that time, Saber Kazemi was not included in the starting lineup of the "Persians".