Davoudi, President from 1980 to 1984, also headed Iran’s Physical Education Organisation, which was an effort by the Iranian Government to promote the country’s development of athletics and sporting activities. 

It was dissolved in 2010 when its responsibilities were transferred to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The current Minister, Mahmoud Goudarzi, expressed his grief over death of Davoudi, who was laid to rest last Friday (July 31) in Tehran’s Behesht-e Zahra cemetery.

The Olympic years which coincided with the beginning and end of Davoudi's reign as President of the Iranian National Olympic Committee, saw Iran boycott the Games.

As many as 65 of the countries that were invited to participate in the 1980 Games in Moscow did ot do so for various reasons, including support for the United States' boycott which came in response to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan a year prior. 

The boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles followed, involving 14 Eastern Bloc countries and allies, led by the Soviet Union. 

Iran first participated at the Olympic Games in 1948, when they were held in London, and have since claimed a total of 60 medals across the sports of wrestling, weightlifting, taekwondo and athletics.