Ukraine’s Football Association will ask FIFA to exclude Iran from the World Cup.
Since the death of Mahsa Amini in September, who died in the custody of Iran’s ’morality police, thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets of 80 cities, calling for the liberalisation of women’s rights and for the overthrow of the current regime.
It has also been alleged by US intelligence that Iran has supplied missiles and drones to the Russian army during their invasion of Ukraine.
Now, those calls have been echoed by the executive committee of the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF). The body announced on Monday: “Taking into account media information about systematic human rights violations in Iran, which may violate the principles and norms of the FIFA Statutes, taking into account the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 regarding the imposition of sanctions on Iran and the possible involvement of Iran in the military aggression of Russia against Ukraine, (it will) make a request to the FIFA to consider excluding the Iranian national team from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.”
In Iran, women must wear hijabs, are not allowed to attend sports events in stadiums, and can’t leave the country without their husband’s or guardian’s permission.
Open Stadiums, a movement dedicated to changing the rules around women attending sports events, launched a campaign to have Iran kicked out of the World Cup on September 30, while exiled Iranian activist Masih Alinejad submitted a formal request to FIFA on October 19.
Over 253 people have been killed in the course of the demonstrations. Dissident Iranian media has reported that record goalscorer Ali Daei has been arrested, while a warrant is also out for former Bayern Munich midfielder Ali Karimi.
Members of the current Iranian men’s team have also demonstrated their support for the protestors. Bayer Leverkusen forward Sardar Azmoun was the first to publicly back their actions, while Zobeir Niknafs shaved his head in solidarity. The majority of the squad also blacked out their social media profiles.
Source » theathletic