MNA – Rio Olympic Games bronze medalist Kimia Alizadeh, who were to carry Iran’s flag at the opening ceremony of Jakarta Asian Games, has missed the chance to participate at the event due to a serious injury.







The 19-year-old taekwondoka will be unable to take part in the upcoming 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia due to a ligament injury that she sustained during training.

The Taekwondo Federation doctor confirmed the injury, saying Alizadeh will be missing the Asian Games this year, as torn ligaments take months to heal.

Kimia Alizadeh had been picked to bear Iran’s national flag at the opening ceremony of Jakarta Asian Games slated for August 18.

Following her injury, Chairman of the National Olympic Committee, Reza Salehi Amiri, and sports minister Masoud Soltanifard will have to decide on another athlete to be Iran’s flag-bearer at the international tournament.

Alizadeh was selected from among three candidates, the other two being the 2012 Olympic gold winner discus thrower Ehsan Haddadi and shooter Elaheh Ahmadi. The young and talented taekwondoka had carried the national flag in the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.