His administrative skills, connections, and vision bridged sport, culture, and governance — showing that the development of football required both sport-specific insight and broader organizational capacity. Even decades later, many still refer to his era as a “golden age” for football — a benchmark for what effective leadership and investment in infrastructure, youth development, and professional management can achieve. Many remember him as “the most decorated head of football federation,” a visionary who helped bring structure, professionalism, and ambition to Iranian and Asian football.
Although not originally a professional footballer or sports-administrator by training, Atabay had a background that included roles in the royal court and other social/political circles — which helped him bring strong organizational and administrative skills to Iranian sports. Before his involvement with football, he was known for interests outside the pitch — such as equestrian sports — indicating that his affinity for sport was broad and not confined to just football.
