DBWI: Winter Olympics, Iran wins hockey bronze

I just finished watching the medal ceremony and I still can't wrap my mind around it. Iran wins the Bronze medal in Men's Hockey at the Vancouver Olympics?! Canada Gold, USA Silver, that gives me a link to reality. But Iran Bronze?! I mean, by now the world accepts that Iran is a hockey obsessed nation, but this?

Iran's hockey teams have always done poorly in the Olympics, especially since the revolution in 1978 (or was that 1979?). No Iranian hockey player has ever played on a team in the traditional hockey countries, and no foreigner wants to play in Iran. Sure, there is the occasional international game. I understand the Iranians and the Russians have an annual series now.

Okay, I'll try to get back to the real world by asking other questions. Does this Olympic success mean anything in the current impasse over the Iranian nuclear program? Will this lead to a thaw in US-Iranian relations? (pun not intended but welcome)
 
They owe a lot to the ex-Soviet and ex-Czechoslovakian coaches they've had running their program. Also to the funding they've been getting from the Eastern Bloc since the 80's has been significant. Iran should be thankful for Russia, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia's help.

Will it do anything with the current political impasse? I don't think so, the State Department may allow visas to Iranian players who are willing to come over to the NHL, and we may see a handful of aging players from Europe finish out their careers in the Iranian League for a significant paycheck, but outside the world of sport much will stay the same.
 
No Iranian hockey player has ever played on a team in the traditional hockey countries,

Not exactly true. Even if pretty much no-one remembers it now, a few Iranian players visited the Finnish leagues in the early 90s, brought in by former Soviet coaches who found employment here. Nothing much came of them. Off hand, I can remember a defender, Javad Zarincheh, who played in my local team KalPa Kuopio in 1994-95 when they were coached by Anatoli Bogdanov. If I remember correctly, he was a pretty solid third line player but did not fulfill the expectations of the team owners. After that, I believe he played for some time in the Slovak and Hungarian leagues.
 
Iran has the best skiing to offer on the continent. The place is a well-known haven for low-cost excellent skiing for anyone willing and able to travel there. I think once they get past the taboos against wearing tights, they could very well become a power to be reckoned with in international winter sports.
 
Considering the fact that 99% of the team was swedish-iranians and that everyone but 1 played in the swedish elitserien not many swedes are to shocked. If you want to blame anyone, blame the revolution in 1979.

The reason the swedish team 3 kronor lost the quaterfinal was that they had the order by the general secretary of the swedish hockeyfederation to loose
 
Considering the fact that 99% of the team was swedish-iranians and that everyone but 1 played in the swedish elitserien not many swedes are to shocked. If you want to blame anyone, blame the revolution in 1979.

The reason the swedish team 3 kronor lost the quaterfinal was that they had the order by the general secretary of the swedish hockeyfederation to loose

Mattep74,
Over here, I've heard a number of stories about the swedish team 3 kronor. Some say any talk of a thrown game is the stuff of conspiracy fables. One or two theories maintain that gambling debts were behind it. The latest tries to connect the loss order with underhanded funding of the Iranian nuclear program.

By the way, the Iranian igloo turban fan hat is becoming a minor hit here in the States.
 
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