Statements of the Supreme Leader in Meeting with Disabled Veteran Athletes

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

We are very pleased with your visit, dear ones, and the victories you have achieved. God willing, may God protect you and grant you success so that you always shine in the arenas of the revolution, just as you shone in the past during the war and now shine in the fields of sports.

I see this group of athletes and disabled veteran champions as a point where several streams of goodness converge: Firstly, the disabled veteran, despite being physically incomplete, still strives and with his determination brings honor to his nation, country, and revolution. This is a stream of goodness that is very important.

Thus, it becomes clear that the determination of faithful individuals is very effective in victories. Why do some lack determination? Why do some not use God-given strength? Why do some underestimate human will? They should look at these young champions who, through their faith and strong will, accomplish great deeds!

Secondly, the fact that we value you as sports champions shows that sports are valued in our society. Therefore, people should follow you, the sports champions who demonstrate the essence of your nation in various fields, and pursue sports. We do not want everyone to become champions, and they will not; but we want everyone to look at these peaks to find motivation and pursue them, to the extent that no one refrains from exercising. I wish our society and country to be like this.

Thirdly, as I guessed before and later heard from the brothers who were with you, during this trip, you were familiar with your religious duties, held congregational prayers, and turned to God with supplication and humility. These are very important, just as they were very effective during the war. Of course, if someone looks at these issues with material calculations, they understand nothing; but we, who have a different perspective, understand. We clearly perceive the difference between two military units, one of which, on the night of the attack, engaged in supplication, the Ziyarat Ashura, crying, and night prayers, and was with God and the saints of God, and the other, which—if not engaged in inappropriate activities—was heedless and indulging in pleasures. They would sit and chat with friends or sleep until morning, while our children, on the night of the attack, were with God, and for this reason, the next day on the battlefield, they felt God beside them. This was while the enemy, who was heedless of God on the night of the attack, had no support in the battlefield where no one but God can provide support. Well, it is obvious who is defeated and who is victorious! Our forces, as long as their supplication, humility, and warm breath seeking God were with them on the battlefield, were successful, and when they showed even a slight negligence in paying attention to these matters, their failures began, and when they returned to their original state, they achieved those great victories and successes.

The same situation exists in the field of sports. There is a difference between a team that spends the night before the competition with attention, supplication, remembrance, hope in God, and purifying their intention, and a team that spends that night indulging in pleasures. These are not the same. In this regard, the role of those who manage the Federation of Disabled Veterans is very significant. Mr. Rafiq-Doust said that a major part of these victories is due to your determination. That is correct. Your determination and faith are the essence of everything. But if you, the officials of the Federation of Disabled Veterans, were not devout, Hezbollah members, would this determination and faith exist in this form? Certainly, the answer is negative. Therefore, I believe that we should bring and pay attention to devout, Hezbollah, and God-fearing elements throughout the sports arenas—of which there are many—because this will certainly affect the success of our sports; I have no doubt!

Human material aspects are nourished by spirituality. It is impossible to remove the role of spirituality from human life because spiritual factors have a significant impact on life. Of course, in the field of sports, alongside these spiritual factors, other factors such as the spirit of competition, money, fame, and such things may play a role; but spiritual factors are superior, higher, and more effective than all of these. Why should we deprive ourselves of these spiritual factors?! We have so many devout, good, Hezbollah, and war-experienced athletes in our sports field, and we must make full use of them. Certainly, in your work and progress and this honor that, by God's will, you have achieved, spirituality has played the main role.

Seventy-nine gold medals in the history of Iranian sports apparently have no precedent, and it seems that over these long years, no group has ever been able to bring so much gold! Well, God wanted this work, like many other great works, to be done by the Hezbollah gentlemen so that the babblers do not say that 'Hezbollah members are incapable of doing anything.' Here you go! Even the war was brought to victory by Hezbollah members, and even the borders of the country were preserved by Hezbollah members. Let everyone believe this. The fact that we are vastly different in industry, technology, scientific, and technical advancements compared to before the revolution is due to these Hezbollah members. Mainly, they did it, and mainly, they were the ones who opened these deadlocks and advanced. Therefore, in all fields—economic, sports, scientific, and cultural—by the grace of the Lord, the work has progressed at the hands of these Hezbollah members. Now, the most medals have been brought by this Hezbollah caravan, and that too in a few limited sports disciplines. This country is the country of Hezbollah members, and the future of this country will also be shaped by these Hezbollah members and revolutionary and faithful forces, and wherever a major problem arises, they must come and solve it. By the grace of the Lord, it will be so.

Well, it remains for me to congratulate you and thank you. You worked very hard. Truly, the day I heard the news of these successes (although I do not have time to hear many news), I continuously thanked God and prayed for you. God willing, you will be successful!

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings