Frankfurt, Sept 30, (dpa/GNA) – Rights group Open Stadiums, has called on football’s ruling body FIFA, to ban Iran’s team from the upcoming World Cup.
Open Stadiums said in a letter addressed to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, and published on Friday that Iran should not be allowed to play at the November 20-December 18 tournament in Qatar, citing FIFA statutes on human rights and non-discrimination.
Open Stadiums wants access for women to all football games in Iran, which is yet to happen despite pressure from FIFA.
Iran is currently clamping down on wide-ranging protests in the wake of the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, after being arrested for violating the country’s strict dress code for women.
Mahsa Amini died on September 16 at age 22, with the cause of her death remaining unknown, and the resulting protests have led to more than 80 deaths.
“Why would FIFA give the Iranian state and its representatives a global stage, while it not only refuses to respect basic human rights and dignities, but is currently torturing and killing its own people?” the Open Stadiums letter said.
“Where are the principles of FIFA’s statues in this regard? Therefore, we ask FIFA … to immediately expel Iran from the World Cup 2022 in Qatar.”
Iran has been drawn into Group B at the World Cup together with England, Wales and the United States.
Several Iran men’s national team players, have backed the protests on social media over the past days.
News reports Friday said former Iran international and Persepolis Tahran captain, Hoseein Mahini, has been arrested in connection with the protests.
Women have been effectively banned from attending football games in Iran, since the Islamic revolution in 1979.
Pressure from FIFA led to women being allowed to attend some international matches, and for the first time they were also allowed to attend a league match in late August, with 28,000 tickets made available for them to fill 30% of Tahren’s Azadi stadium for the Esteghlal Tehran v Mess Kerman game.
The sports ministry said women, would also be granted access to other stadiums if the result was deemed positive.
Open Stadiums has said they fear this is a mere “short-term PR stunt” to raise the image of Iran’s football federation which it named “not only an accomplice of the crimes of the regime” but also “a direct threat of female fans in Iran and whereever our national team plays in the world.”
The letter said, “nothing has changed – Iranian women remain locked out of our ‘beautiful game’ and we are systematically repressed when we try to enter stadiums in Iran.”
GNA