Human rights group Open Stadiums demand FIFA kick Iran OUT the World Cup

A human rights group has written to FIFA president Gianni Infantino to kick Iran out of the World Cup in Qatar later this year over the country’s oppression of women.

Widespread protests have erupted across Iran and now in countries around the world in response to the death of 22-year-old woman Mahsa Amini in police custody after she was arrested earlier in September for wearing her veil loosely.

The Iranian regime, as usual, has responded with violence and an internet outage to make it more difficult for people to plan protests. At least 83 people have been killed since the protests broke out.

utilities as reported by Front Office SportsThe organization Open Stadiums, which campaigns for the rights of Iranian women, wrote to Infantino: ‘For more than four decades, Iranian women have been denied their most basic freedoms.

“We are prohibited from enjoying sports, watching matches in stadiums and cheering for our favorite football teams. You have repeatedly publicly promised that FIFA would resolve these gross human rights violations, but unfortunately we have come to the conclusion that these were all empty words and promises.

Why would FIFA give the Iranian state and its representatives a global stage when it not only refuses to respect basic human rights and dignities, but is currently torturing and murdering its own people? That is why we ask FIFA, based on Articles 3 and 4 of its statutes, to immediately remove Iran from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.’

Furthermore, there are reports that Hossein Mahini, who previously played for Iran 23 times, has been arrested amid his support for the protests.

22-year-old Amini died in police custody after being arrested for wearing her veil loosely

Her death has sparked widespread protests, first in Iran against the regime (pictured are the scenes in Tehran earlier in September) and around the world

Open Stadiums have campaigned for the past decade to allow women to participate in football matches in Iran, but with only limited success.

Under pressure from Infantino, a small group of female fans were allowed access to Persepolis’ home game of the 2018 Asian Champions League final in Tehran. Minimal progress has been made since then, with female fans barred from entering Iran’s World Cup qualifier against Lebanon in Mashad in March, with videos of female supporters being sprayed with pepper spray outside the stadium.

However, despite all the good intentions of Open Stadium, there is an argument among some that it is more important than ever for Iran to participate in the tournament.

The Iranian team wore black jackets for the friendly against Senegal this week as it lined up for the national anthem. It was widely regarded as an expression of support for the anti-regime protesters – Iranian internationals have spoken out against the country’s rulers before.

Sardar Azmoun, one of Iran’s star players, wrote in an Instagram post: ‘Worst case, I’ll be fired from the national team; no problem,” he wrote in Farsi, according to translations. ‘I would sacrifice that for one hair on the head of Iranian women. This story will not be deleted. They can do whatever they want. Shame on you for killing so easily; long live Iranian women.’

It was soon removed, but other players posted obscured profile pictures.

Open Stadiums have written FIFA president Gianni Infantino (pictured while watching a match in Tehran) to kick Iran out of the World Cup

Porto striker Mehdi Taremi (left) and midfielder Milad Sarlak were among the Iranian team that wore black jackets this week for the friendly against Senegal – there is an argument that a symbol like this at the World Cup would have an even stronger meaning

If the Iran team showed such a gesture of solidarity in its World Cup matches against England, Wales and the United States, which will be watched by millions around the world, it would arguably do more to raise awareness than team being kicked out of the competition.

It was a suggestion shared by many in response to the letter.

Taking Iran out of the World Cup would be a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’. WE need to be at the tournament to support the team and wave flags! THIS is the BEST way we can stand with people,” one fan wrote in response.

Another said: ‘Exclude Iran from the #WorldcupQatar2022? I would say the World Cup could be another opportunity for protest. But since the regimes are likely to ban all brave players in solidarity with the #MahsaAmini protests, the squad will NOT be a team representing #Iran.”

A girl has been comforted after she was reportedly sprayed with pepper spray outside a stadium in Iran for trying to participate in the World Cup qualifier against Lebanon

Earlier this year, Masih Alinejad, the high-profile campaigner for women’s rights in Iran, called for Iran to be kicked out of the World Cup after the incident in which female fans were sprayed with pepper spray by police and denied entry to the match in Lebanon.

She told Sportsmail in March: “As an Iranian woman, I call on FIFA to ban the Islamic Republic because we, the women of Iran, are not allowed to enter the stadiums for 42 years.

“If some western countries ban women from stadiums, what would you do? So what’s different between us and western women? It is hypocritical that FIFA is ignoring us.

“This is a total betrayal that FIFA is not taking firm action against a gender apartheid regime!”

She echoed those sentiments on Twitter on Friday, saying: “I call on FIFA to ban the Islamic Republic after #MahsaAmini a 22-year-old woman was murdered by hijab police and members of the national team were arrested for protesting against her death. We need to see the Iranian regime tried in an international court, not on the sports field.”

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi – nicknamed ‘The Butcher of Tehran’ for his role in the execution of some 8,000 political prisoners in the 1980s – has described the unrest as the latest in a series of actions against Iran by hostile Western powers since the Islamic Revolution. from 1979.