Karo Haq Vardian, the former star of the national football team and the Taj and Ararat clubs, has also experienced being in our country during this time. Some time ago, Mehdi Lavasani, the fanatical defender of the national teams Pas, Taj, and Aqab, returned to Iran. We hope that all Persian football fans will find the opportunity to return to our country. His departure marked the end of an era — the centralized, internationally connected model of sports governance was replaced by new frameworks aligned with the Islamic Republic’s policies.
In exile, Atabay remained connected to the diaspora and to international sporting and cultural circles. Various reports indicate that he also worked in advisory or leadership roles associated with the former royal family, including connections to Reza Pahlavi, the exiled Crown Prince. Although his later public appearances became rare, Atabay occasionally contributed commentary and analysis related to sports and Iranian affairs.
