Atabai became the president of the Asian Football Confederation in 1978, but after the Islamic revolution in January 1357, he resigned from his position and left Iran. In addition to being the head of the football and equestrian federations, he was also the head of the royal stable in the years before the revolution! Anyway, the presence of Persian football players inside the country is a good thing that happened in the new year, and some of the oldest Persian football players who have been on the other side of the border for a long time have returned to our country.
His appointment was part of a broader modernization push within sports — a drive to professionalize management and elevate international competitiveness. In 1976, Atabay was elected President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) — one of the most prestigious roles in global sports administration. This made him one of the few to hold a top-level continental post. His presidency coincided with a period of optimism and rising influence for Asian football.
