Igor Kolakovic has been tasked with continuing Iran's development
Lausanne, Switzerland, February 7, 2017 – The Iran Volleyball Federation (IRIVF) has ended its 10-month wait for a new men’s head coach by appointing Igor Kolakovic as replacement for Raul Lucia Lozano.
The 51-year-old Kolakovic has signed a two-year deal with the IRIVF with a further two-year option.
“IRIVF’s primary objective is to dispatch a competitive and strong team to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,” IRIVF President Mohammad Reza Davarzani said. “The consensus of opinion among members of the IRIVF Presiding Board was that Kolakovic is capable of achieving that goal.”
The Montenegrin brings with him a wealth of coaching experience and success as head coach of Serbia.
Under Kolakovic’s guidance Serbia won bronze at the Italy 2010, FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, silver at the 2008 and 2009 FIVB World Leagues and bronze at the 2010 World League. The also won CEV European Championship gold in 2011 and bronze in 2007 and 2013, and silver at the U23 World Championship in 2013.
In recent years Iran have become one of the growing powers in world volleyball. They reached the quarterfinals at the Rio de Janeiro 2016, Olympic Games, the first time Iran had reached an Olympics. They also finished sixth at the Poland 2014 World Championship, won the 2011 and 2013 AVC Asian Championship and finished fourth in the 2014 World League.