TEHERAN, March 4 (AFP)
Hundreds of Iranian football fans held a vigil here Monday at the hospi
tal
where coma-stricken former international captain Ahmadreza Abedzadeh is
battling to recover from a brain hemorrhage.
Abedzadeh, a goalkeeper and star of Iran's 1998 World Cup campaign, was
admitted to Kasra Hospital on Sunday and has been in a coma ever since.
Hospital sources said Abedzadeh's life was not in danger however.
"We are here because he gave us so many moments of happiness and glory," one
of Abedzadeh's well-wishers said outside the hospital here Monday.
The former goalkeeper became a folk hero in Iran when the team successfully
qualified for the France World Cup four years ago, pulling off a series of
saves in the memorable 2-2 play-off draw with Australia in qualifying.
He also kept goal for Iran in their politically charged first round match
against the United States, a game dubbed the 'Mother of all football matches'.
Iran won 2-1.
Tehran, March 3, News Wires- Iran's veteran goalkeeper
Ahmad-Reza Abedzadeh on Sunday evening survived a surgical operation on his
Brain. He had suffered a hemorrhage late Saturday night.
The attending neurosurgeon at the capital's Arad hospital Kazem Abbasiun said
is now in a "satisfactory" condition following the successful operation on his
brain and his chance of recovery is as high as 70 percent. "Fortunately, due
to the timely and early operation on Abedzadeh the percentage of brain damage
and the side effects have been
minimized," said Abbasiun.
Abedzadeh, 35, the former skipper and goalkeeper of Iran's National Soccer
Team, used to play for Tehran's Esteqlal and Pirouzi Soccer clubs. His
brilliant performance qualified Iran for the 1998 French Soccer Cup contests.
The charge for the surgical operation on Abedzadeh will be reportedly financed
by Iran's National Olympic Committee, according to Secretary-General of the
committee Bahram Afsharzadeh. His former teammate, Behzad Gholampour, had
already said on Sunday that Abedzadeh was taken to Iranmehr hospital after
having a stroke late Saturday night. He was transferred then to the Kasra
hospital Sunday for further medication, the former keeper of the Iranian
national team added.