Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has suggested that Iran should be barred from the 2022 FIFA World Cup amid widespread protests in the Islamic Republic. The protests are sparked by the death of a woman in the custody of the police.
The protests in Iran pose one of the boldest challenges to Iran’s clerical rulers since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
SEPP BLATTER’S VIEWS
“Iran should be excluded from the [FIFA] World Cup,” a Swiss paper quoted him on Friday as saying.
Blatter says he would have demanded harsh consequences that he would have removed Iran from competition had he still been in charge.
Iran has accused foreign enemies of fomenting unrest raging since the death of Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini. She was arrested for allegedly flouting Iran’s strict dress code imposed on women.
The Blick paper cited Blatter as saying it was incomprehensible that FIFA head Gianni Infantino had not taken a clear position on Iran.
The 86-year-old had made waves this week by saying it had been a mistake to award Qatar the hosting rights to the World Cup. The biggest sporting event begins on 20 November.
The Ukrainian Association of Football has also called for Iran to be excluded from the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
IRAN WORLD CUP HISTORY
After qualifying for their third successive World Cup by finishing ahead of South Korea to top Group A in AFC qualifying. Iran have high hopes of advancing beyond the group stage for the first time in their history.
In Group B, Iran will face England, Wales and the United States. All of whom are ranked higher than them.
Iran is the top Asian team in the FIFA rankings (20), above Japan and South Korea.
Iran has never progressed beyond the group phase in five previous FIFA World Cup campaigns. They have appeared in 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018 and now in 2022
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