Closure of Shab Shameshk Ski Resort Following Cancellation of National Team's Trip to the U.S.

Iranian news agencies have reported that due to "incidents that occurred" during the opening ceremony of the Shab Shameshk ski resort on Thursday, February 5, judicial authorities have sealed the resort. The ceremony was held "without necessary coordination with relevant authorities," and the Ski Federation denied any involvement in the opening of the resort. ISNA news agency reported the occurrence of "unusual and inappropriate incidents." However, videos shared on social media show that, as previously announced in the media, music was played and athletes were performing on their feet, doing on-the-spot movements or dancing. Such movements are quite common in mountainous environments to keep the body warm and are not unprecedented. It was previously announced that there would be "a musical performance and fireworks in celebration of the Fajr decade" at the ceremony. The question arises: if no authority is taking responsibility for the ceremony's organizers, then which organization or group hosted the opening? Is it possible to hold an opening ceremony for the Shab Shameshk resort with the presence of dozens of participants without any responsibility? Another question is about the news of the "closure of the night resort," which is not clear whether this closure will be lifted during the day and closed again at night or if a part of the nature and heights of Shameshk will be kept inaccessible to the public! The Ski Federation immediately expressed its strong objection to the organizers of the ceremony following the news of the opening ceremony and the controversies surrounding the Shab Shameshk resort, even calling for severe action against the organizers. Five days after the ceremony, the Iranian men's and women's national ski teams were supposed to travel to the U.S. for the 2015 World Championships at the expense of the International Ski Federation, but Alidad Saveh Shamski, the head coach of the national team, said: "The federation called and said we are not going. No specific reason was given." The Ski Federation refrained from confirming any connection between the controversial ceremony in Shameshk and the cancellation of the national team's trip, but Mitra Kalehr expressed her ignorance about the reason for the trip's cancellation, stating: "Unfortunately, I do not know why this trip was canceled five hours before departure." This national athlete commented on whether there was a "security problem" for the skiers, saying: "If such a problem existed, it should have been announced earlier. When they are going to play with the athletes' morale like this, I believe it would be much better if they just stopped skiing." Nasser Talebi, the head of the Iranian Ski Federation, denied claims that security or foreign affairs intervened, but ISNA chose the headline "Severe Criticism of Events in Shameshk" in its report on the cancellation of the national ski team's trip. The head of the Ski Federation, who is also an advisor to the Minister of Sports, told the news agency: "Unfortunately, what was held in the name of the opening of the night resort is absolutely unacceptable to us, and this action was taken without coordination with the federation."