November 22-2013
On the fourth try, President Rohani finally got a sports minister approved and thus filled up his 18-man (and no-woman) cabinet Sunday.
The Majlis voted to approve Mahmud Gudarzi as minister of sports and youth Sunday on a vote of 199-to-44 with 24 abstentions, giving him the support of 75 percent of the Majlis deputies.
Rohani’s previous three nominees for the post—generally viewed as the least important cabinet position—all went down to ignominious defeat. Masud Soltanifar drew only 41 percent support in August, as did Reza Salehi-Amiri in October. A week ago, Nasrollah Sajjadi came close with 49 percent support.
Gudarzi, 58, is currently the dean of the School of Physical Education and Sports Science at the University of Tehran. His resume includes service as president of the Shooting Federation, technical deputy of the Physical Education organization and supervisor of the national Grand Sports Plan.
