When geopolitics meets sport. The Iranian Football Federation on Sunday protested the removal of the sign of Allah from the Iranian flag by the American Federation ahead of the 2022 World Cup meeting on Tuesday between the two teams. The United States and Iran will play their qualifier on Tuesday in a highly political duel as the Iranians sit second in Group B, one point ahead of the Americans and one point behind England.
“The Iranian Football Federation has sent an email to FIFA demanding that it send a serious warning to the American Federation,” the official Irna news agency said. “The American Football Association’s Instagram page has unprofessionally removed the symbol of Allah from the Iranian flag,” the official Irna news agency reported.
The flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran consists of three colors: green, white and red, and in the center is a stylized form of the word “Allah”. The word has been removed from the flag on the federation’s Instagram page. The drawing was used by the American Federation “to show solidarity with women in Iran” and “only in this case,” a public relations official said. “The flag has never been changed on the federation website,” he said.
Iran and the United States marked the memory of the 1998 World Cup with scenes of brotherhood between the players of the two countries. They have not had diplomatic relations since 1980, a few months after the hostage-taking of the American embassy in Tehran in November 1979.
The incident comes at a time when Iran is the scene of a protest movement that erupted on September 16 over the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd who died after being arrested by the vice police in Tehran. An Iranian supporter was also expelled for paying tribute to Mahse Amini.
resignation letter
Also on Sunday, the Iranian Football Federation called for the resignation of Jurgen Klinsmann, a member of FIFA’s technical study group, following comments by the former German striker in which he accused “Team Melli” of influencing the referee during the match against Wales (2 -0) on Friday.
“It’s not accidental. It’s on purpose. It’s part of their culture, it’s how they play. The referee (…), the linesman, the 4th referee work. They make you lose concentration,” said the former US coach, future rival Iran, aired by the BBC on Tuesday.
The remarks made Iranian coach Carlos Queiroz, who coached Iran’s Portuguese national team, tweet, “These remarks about Iranian culture, the national team and my players are a disgrace to football,” he said. “No one can undermine our integrity,” he added.
And his federation reacted strongly in a press release: “Together with various unfortunate considerations regarding the Iranian national team and its coaching, Mr. Klinsmann made judgments about Iranian culture,” she wrote in a statement released Sunday. “The Iranian Football Federation has already contacted FIFA for clarification and demanded an apology and the resignation of Mr. Klinsmann from the FIFA Technical Study Group. »
Klinsmann reversed
The Technical Research Group (TSG), led by Frenchman Arsène Wenger, is responsible for analyzing all World Cup matches and reporting on key game and tactical trends. The Iranian Federation also invited Klinsmann, world (1990) and European (1996) champion with Germany, to “visit” the Team Melli training camp in Qatar to “read the ancient Persian culture and the values of football and sports”.
The Iranian body “promises that Mr. Klinsmann, as a German, will not be judged for the most shameful episode in the history of the World Championships (…) when West Germany and “Austria arranged the result” in 1982 nor for his “famous spectacular dives”, nor “any political or historical questions connected with his country”.
Within hours of this argument, Klinsmann backed off somewhat on the BBC. “I have never criticized Carlos (Queiros, ed.) or the Iranian bench,” he said. “Some even thought that I was criticizing the referee for not doing anything about their behavior on the bench. All I have described is their emotional way of doing things, which is really admirable. The whole bench lives for the game, they jump up and down, and Carlos is a very emotional coach, he is constantly on the sidelines, trying to give the players all his energy. “.
Source: Le Parisien
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