WANA (Mar 14) – Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth criticized FIFA over its choice of World Cup host, saying the international governing body should have taken hosting rights away from the United States.

 

Referring to the current security climate and the experience of recent wars, he said: “The silence of international bodies in the face of actions that threaten global peace and security is deeply troubling, and FIFA should at the very least have taken steps to ensure the safety of participants.”

 

He also added that under the current circumstances, given the threats and the conduct of the U.S. president, there is serious concern about the safety of Iranian athletes. Iran’s sports minister stressed that if the global federation can arrange for the matches to be held in Mexico, Iran would be able to take the necessary steps for its teams to participate in the tournament.

 

He concluded by expressing hope that conditions will evolve in a way that allows Iran’s national teams to take part in the World Cup, but emphasized that, for now, the current situation is still not suitable for their participation.

 

Shadow of War Over the World Cup

WANA (Mar 12) – “Our team members will not be safe attending the World Cup. After our leader was killed by the current U.S. government, there are no longer any conditions for participating in the World Cup.”   These were the words of Ahmad Donyamali, Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth, in an interview with […]

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