Iranian volleyball player Saber Kazemi made his domestic début for Shams Tehran in 2017 before being called up to the national team the following year. Kazemi had a very successful start to his international career, winning gold with Iran at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. Three years later he won gold at the Asian Championships and the Asian Club Championships, being named the MVP in both tournaments. Later that same year he also represented Iran at the Tokyo Olympics, scoring 40 points for the team. Kazemi won more medals at international tournaments, including another gold at the Asian Games in 2022, and silver at the Asian Championships the following year. In October 2025, however, Kazemi collapsed beside a swimming pool in Doha, apparently suffering a massive stroke. Despite being taken to a hospital in Tehran, he was declared brain dead and died shortly afterwards. He was only 26-years-old.
Islamic Republic of Iran