Iranian Soccer Players Refuse to Sing National Anthem at FIFA
Iranian football players at the FIFA World Cup Tournament in Qatar, refused to sing the country’s national anthem during the opening match against England, as a gesture of solidarity towards the protests and riots erupting within the country.
Ongoing protests in Iran since September 22nd over the death of Mahsa Amini who collapsed in Police Custody and later died, have led to the deaths of over a 100 people. Several mainstream media outlets reported the death as a cause of brutality by the morality police in Iran, which was later debunked when the Iranian Government ruled out her death as natural or due to medical conditions, and even released evidence of how the West seemingly ignited the protests.
Iran’s national team deserves our respect and solidarity. With the world’s eyes on them before their first World Cup game, Iran’s players stood silent during their national anthem in protest against the country’s regime. This took real bravery. FIFA should take notes. pic.twitter.com/RXav5JW8zh
— VERSUS (@vsrsus) November 21, 2022
Several people took to twitter praising the footballers for their bravery as Iranian fans were also spotted holding banners that read “Woman, Life, Freedom”; a common chant amongst the protestors. Iran later lost at a staggering 6-2 against England. Some pointed out the lack of focus amongst the players at the Khalifa Stadium in Doha. Iranian football team coach Carlos Qeuiroz stated that he believes in leaving politics out of football. According to Al Jazeera, the footballers met with their President Ebrahim Raisi, an act that infuriated the protestors and many even mentioned that they won’t watch the match regardless of the results.
Back in September, the Iranian football players wore black during the friendly match with Senegal, in a bid to mourn the death of Mahsa Amini.
In the forthcoming matches, Iran will play against Wales and then the United States.
As the unrest within Iran intensifies, the government continues to maintain decorum in the wake of misinformation.
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