Davoud Shokri Baghdadabadi (second from right) of the Iranian team kicks out for a goal during the men's beach soccer final on Wednesday. WEI XIAOHAO/CHINA DAILY

No cleats. No hard ground. No room for reckless slides or brute force. Instead, beach soccer rewards barefoot artistry on soft sand: delicate footwork, razor-sharp turns, and tiny passing combinations that carve open defenses.

Most captivating of all, stunts like diving headers, scissor kicks and bicycle kicks hang in the air just long enough for the crowd to erupt.

To play barefoot could somehow lower one's guard. It means shedding disguises, leaving behind identities and pretenses, so that the soles can feel the sand's warmth directly; skin to earth, body to nature.

Under a warm sea breeze and orange sunset, the recently concluded sixth Asian Beach Games in Sanya, Hainan province, brought players and spectators together to share in the laid-back, respectful and peaceful vibe of beach soccer matches.

Now look at the four best beach soccer teams in the Games: Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Palestine.

Caught in active conflict, shaken by regional turmoil, or burdened by unresolved, long-standing strife; all are facing uncertainties. Not one is truly at peace.

Take Iran for example, a nation still bleeding from war. It sent a 57-athlete delegation to contest 10 out of the total 14 sports disciplines in Sanya, and ended up third on the medal table with nine golds and one silver.

"It was a historic placing for our team," said Mahdi Alinejad, secretary-general of the Iranian National Olympic Committee.

He said the war had destroyed some of their sports training bases and there were no flights from Tehran. They had to start their journey with several bus rides that took more than 20 hours to reach Ashgabat, the capital of neighboring Turkmenistan, from which they could finally take a plane. The whole journey took them 52 hours.

"We tried to make up for the lack of training, as we didn't have much time to prepare because of the war," Alinejad told China Daily after Iran beat Oman 6-2 to clinch the gold medal in beach soccer on Wednesday night.

"I think all the people in Iran are very happy about this achievement in Sanya. Sports can heal our pain," he said, adding that they received a warm welcome in Sanya, as they constantly heard support and cheers from the stands."We want to show that we support the peace and unity on our continent."

Talib Al-Thanawi, head coach of Oman's beach soccer team, said that they have a good relationship with Iran in sports. They invite each other to exchange and play matches, and they often meet in the finals of major tournaments.

An Iranian athlete tests his chopstick skills with a traditional Chinese game in the athletes' village. ZHANG WEI/CHINA DAILY

When asked if he believed that sports can make the world a better place, he responded with an immediate yes. "In a sporting gala like this, you meet people, you get connected, and you find new friends," he said. "You see (that in) the world, war's often happening. But here? Not one makes a difference."

Mundhir Al-Barwani, team doctor of Oman's beach soccer team, shares the same sentiment. A beach soccer lover since the age of 6, he said he enjoyed watching the games and soaking up the atmosphere. He was often seen smiling broadly while dancing to the music on the sidelines.

"I also live in the athletes' village, where athletes from different countries interact very frequently, and I talked a lot with medical team members from countries including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia," he said.

"Sport is loved by everyone, and that really brings everyone together, regardless of where you are in the world. So I think that's something you can see through every aspect of sports," said Saphna Ravichandran, a legal counsel at the Asian Football Confederation.

Reflecting on the Games, Husain Al-Musallam, director-general of the Olympic Council of Asia, highlighted that the presence alone of these conflict-ridden countries demonstrates that this is a game of peace — and that, he said, is the core value of the Games.

"You saw the athletes living in one place under one roof, in one restaurant, in one competition venue, in one training venue. And they are happy with each other. They are hugging each other," said Al-Musallam. "The future Games will follow in the footsteps of the Sanya Asian Beach Games."