Region | Iran
Iran denies ban on protesting football players
Iran denies ban on football players who wore wristbands in protest against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election.
- Staff Report
- Published: 14:04 June 24, 2009
- Image Credit: AP
- The team's chief administrative officer, Mansour Pourhiedari, initially claimed the wristbands had been intended as a religious tribute to a revered Shia figure in the hope that it would deliver a victory on the pitch.
Tehran: Iran on Thursday denied its ban of four Iranian football players for wearing green wrist bands to show support for Iranian reformist leader Mir Hussain Mousavi in the Iran-South Korea match on June 17.
"No player has been banned and basically Parliament is not authorised to impose such a ban," said Jalal Yahya-zade, Head of the Iranian parliament's Sports Committee.
According to reports, Ali Karimi, Mehdi Mahdavikia, Hosein Kaabi and Vahid Hashemian "retired" from the sport after their gesture in last Wednesday's match.
The players submitted their request on their own accord, said Mehdi Taj, Vice President of Iran's Football Federation.
The four have been banned from giving media interviews.
A total number of six players took to the field wearing wristbands in the colour of defeated opposition candidate Mousavi.
Most of the players obeyed instructions to remove the armwear at half-time, but Mahdavikia wore his green captain's armband for the entire match.
The fate of the other two players who wore the wristbands is unknown. None of the team members were given back their passports upon returning to Tehran after the match.
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Your comments
I appreciate the Iranian Govt. as well as President Mr. Mahmood Ahamedinejad for banned players for life. Players should not show their dislike to their govt in football ground.
M. D. Kasim
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2009, 14:10
I really admire these four player they have their right to show their beliefs and support anyway we are the same situation, so we are right behind you Iranian people.
Burmese
Rangoon,Burma
Posted: June 25, 2009, 13:11
no politics should be in games
Shahzad Shaikh
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2009, 11:48
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