Should Ukraine replace Iran in the FIFA World Cup 2022?

[KingKhanWC]

Fifa urged to ban Iran from World Cup over Ukraine invasion arms supply

The chief executive of Shakhtar Donetsk has called for Fifa to ban Iran from the upcoming World Cup, with the Ukrainian national team to be handed the qualification spot instead.

According to US intelligence, Iranian troops are ‘directly engaged on the ground’ in Crimea, working in unison with Russian drone attacks on Ukraine’s civilians and infrastructure.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky also recently claimed that Iranian drones were utilised in Russian missile strikes on his country. While this has also been confirmed by US intelligence, both Russia and Iran have denied the use of such drones.

Russia was banned from international competition by Uefa earlier this year, curtailing the national team’s hopes of qualifying for Qatar 2022. Now, Shakhtar have put out a statement calling for Iran to also be expelled from the World Cup for providing military assistance to Russia.

The Iranian national team are set to play their first match of the tournament against England on 21st November, with further group games against US and Wales.

A statement from Sergei Palkin, the club’s chief executive states: ‘Shakhtar Football Club calls on Fifa and the entire international community to immediately ban Iran’s national team from playing at the World Cup for the country’s direct participation in terrorist attacks on Ukrainians.

‘This will be a fair decision that should draw the attention of the whole world to a regime that kills its best people and helps kill Ukrainians.’

Palkin’s statement then puts forward Ukraine as a replacement, calling the national team ‘worthy of participation’ and arguing they ‘played with their heart’ in ‘unequal conditions’. Ukraine lost out to Wales for the final European qualification spot at the World Cup.

The statement continues: ‘The decision is historically and sportingly justified. I urge everyone to join the pressure on the football bureaucracy. It is enough to repeat the mistakes of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, hiding behind the empty thesis about the apolitically of sports.

‘Facilitating the participation of terrorists in the World Cup is politics. It’s time to put an end to such a policy.’

Fifa are yet to publicly comment on the statement. However, there is no historical precedent for soccer’s global governing body to replace an Asian country with a European nation.

Shakhtar’s statement comes amid other calls from Iranian fan groups for Fifa to suspend the national team and expel them from the World Cup. Rights group Open Stadiums has sent a letter to Fifa president Gianni Infantino calling for Iran’s removal due to the country’s treatment of women.

Women have not freely been able to attend sporting events in Iran, while there is a current crackdown on protests in support of women’s rights.

The letter reads: ‘The Iranian FA is not only an accomplice of the crimes of the regime. It is a direct threat to the security of female fans in Iran and wherever our national team plays in the world. Football should be a safe space for us all.

‘Why would Fifa give the Iranian state and its representatives a global stage while [the country’s government] not only refuses to respect basic human rights and dignities, but is currently torturing and killing its own people?

‘Therefore, we ask Fifa, based on articles three and four of its statutes, to immediately expel Iran from the World Cup 2022 in Qatar.’

https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022-iran-ban-ukraine-russia-invasion/

My answer is a NO. No nation should lose being part of a sporting event they rightfully qualified for because of their political views/ actions.

 

[SalimBhai]

https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022-iran-ban-ukraine-russia-invasion/

@Mods can we have a poll please Yes/No?

My answer is a NO. No nation should lose being part of a sporting event they rightfully qualified for because of their political views/ actions.

What about Israel?

 

[KingKhanWC]

Is it time for a new world governing body?

FIFA has banned Russia but allows Israel?

We cannot have a world body which is owned by western nations.

Football is the greatest team sport in the world, it unites many people. Lets not use it as a political football, no pun.

 

[msb314]

My opinion is NO.

Ukraine does NOT deserve to play in the WC if it doesn’t qualify.

If FIFA hates Iran - replace it with another Asia country..

 

[KingKhanWC]

My opinion is NO.

Ukraine does NOT deserve to play in the WC if it doesn’t qualify.

If FIFA hates Iran - replace it with another Asia country..

Ukraine is an average team and imo Iran would beat them.

But Iran cannot be replaced by any other team, they rightlfully qualified and deserve it.

Football should not involve politics.

We still have the English and others wanting to wear homosexual promoting armbands when they are banned.

West is very arrogant, its great Putin is changing the game, the world will be a fairer place in future.

 

[Manunited18]

The chief executive of Shakhtar Donetsk has called for Fifa to ban Iran from the upcoming World Cup, with the Ukrainian national team to be handed the qualification spot instead.

According to US intelligence, Iranian troops are ‘directly engaged on the ground’ in Crimea, working in unison with Russian drone attacks on Ukraine’s civilians and infrastructure.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky also recently claimed that Iranian drones were utilised in Russian missile strikes on his country. While this has also been confirmed by US intelligence, both Russia and Iran have denied the use of such drones.

Russia was banned from international competition by Uefa earlier this year, curtailing the national team’s hopes of qualifying for Qatar 2022. Now, Shakhtar have put out a statement calling for Iran to also be expelled from the World Cup for providing military assistance to Russia.

The Iranian national team are set to play their first match of the tournament against England on 21st November, with further group games against US and Wales.

A statement from Sergei Palkin, the club’s chief executive states: ‘Shakhtar Football Club calls on Fifa and the entire international community to immediately ban Iran’s national team from playing at the World Cup for the country’s direct participation in terrorist attacks on Ukrainians.

‘This will be a fair decision that should draw the attention of the whole world to a regime that kills its best people and helps kill Ukrainians.’

Palkin’s statement then puts forward Ukraine as a replacement, calling the national team ‘worthy of participation’ and arguing they ‘played with their heart’ in ‘unequal conditions’. Ukraine lost out to Wales for the final European qualification spot at the World Cup.

The statement continues: ‘The decision is historically and sportingly justified. I urge everyone to join the pressure on the football bureaucracy. It is enough to repeat the mistakes of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, hiding behind the empty thesis about the apolitically of sports.

‘Facilitating the participation of terrorists in the World Cup is politics. It’s time to put an end to such a policy.’

Fifa are yet to publicly comment on the statement. However, there is no historical precedent for soccer’s global governing body to replace an Asian country with a European nation.

Shakhtar’s statement comes amid other calls from Iranian fan groups for Fifa to suspend the national team and expel them from the World Cup. Rights group Open Stadiums has sent a letter to Fifa president Gianni Infantino calling for Iran’s removal due to the country’s treatment of women.

Women have not freely been able to attend sporting events in Iran, while there is a current crackdown on protests in support of women’s rights.

The letter reads: ‘The Iranian FA is not only an accomplice of the crimes of the regime. It is a direct threat to the security of female fans in Iran and wherever our national team plays in the world. Football should be a safe space for us all.

‘Why would Fifa give the Iranian state and its representatives a global stage while [the country’s government] not only refuses to respect basic human rights and dignities, but is currently torturing and killing its own people?

‘Therefore, we ask Fifa, based on articles three and four of its statutes, to immediately expel Iran from the World Cup 2022 in Qatar.’

https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022-iran-ban-ukraine-russia-invasion/

My answer is a NO. No nation should lose being part of a sporting event they rightfully qualified for because of their political views/ actions.

Nope. Cannot bring politics in to sport. If that's the case then why arent these hypocrites not questioning the zionest state of israels participation !

 

[KingKhanWC]

Nope. Cannot bring politics in to sport. If that's the case then why arent these hypocrites not questioning the zionest state of israels participation !

Yep.

Worse, they allow Zionist Israel to play in European leagues! Which means more money for Israeli teams and better competition as they play the likes of PSG(as they did recently).

I think FIFA , the Olympic Committee will no longer be around in the next few years.

This may well be the last FIFA world cup in history, lets hope Iran wins it.

 

[sweep_shot]

Absolutely not.

Iran already qualified. They should not be replaced now.

But, if Iran is to be replaced, they should be replaced with an Asian team; not Ukraine.

 

[SalimBhai]

What about Israel? I don’t think iran should be replaced. What if israel ever qualifies?? Would you guys object to that and call for them to be replaced? Last World Cup for fifa. Hahahaha. That’s a good laugh

 

[KingKhanWC]

What about Israel?

Israel has never qualified for a World Cup but nice of you to jump to their defence.

 

[Technics 1210]

If I remember correctly, FIFA dished out punishment to Ukrainian football teams for - wait for this - Racism, and now the chief executive Shakhtar Donetsk wants FIFA to replace Iran, with a team that never qualified, but is also losing a war vs. Russia and Iranian kamikaze drones?

Did Europeans ask for USA to be banned/replaced from FIFA world cup after the illegal war in Iraq/Afghanistan?

Honestly, I think it's time the East created new sporting governing body/tournaments, just like the Saudis have with LIV in Golf.

The President of Ukraine is more corrupt than FIFA!

 

[Manunited18]

What about Israel?

Hope your being sarcastic!

 

[KingKhanWC]

If I remember correctly, FIFA dished out punishment to Ukrainian football teams for - wait for this - Racism, and now the chief executive Shakhtar Donetsk wants FIFA to replace Iran, with a team that never qualified, but is also losing a war vs. Russia and Iranian kamikaze drones?

Did Europeans ask for USA to be banned/replaced from FIFA world cup after the illegal war in Iraq/Afghanistan?

Honestly, I think it's time the East created new sporting governing body/tournaments, just like the Saudis have with LIV in Golf.

The President of Ukraine is more corrupt than FIFA!

There is no other choice it seems now but to have another governing body. The world is splitting in all areas.

But its all the fault of the western nations based on their own agendas mainly imperialist.

We have Harry Kane , England captain saying he will wear the LGBT armband even though it’s banned.

Then we have the Aussies attacking Qatar for human rights, a nation build on the extermination of human tribes. They clowns need to learn their own history first.

 

[Technics 1210]

There is no other choice it seems now but to have another governing body. The world is splitting in all areas.

But its all the fault of the western nations based on their own agendas mainly imperialist.

We have Harry Kane , England captain saying he will wear the LGBT armband even though its banned.

Then we have the Aussies attacking Qatar for human rights, a nation build on the extermination of human tribes. They clowns need to learn their own history first.

I hope the Qataris ban Kane for his publicity stunt, and any other footballer/spectator who attempts to push their liberal agenda in Qatar.

WC in Qatar, their rules, and if fans and players don't like it then don't participate or watch the WC!

Here's the funny part, When China held the Olympics, and when Russia held the World Cup, these same Liberal Social Justice warriors were dead silent. Clearly their racism and prejudice towards Muslims is now being exposed.

 

[KingKhanWC]

8 Countries to Lead LGBTQ-Inclusive Campaign During Qatar World Cup


Ten European football teams — the Netherlands, England, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and Wales — will participate in a season-long "OneLove" campaign promoting inclusion and opposing discrimination.

Every country except Sweden and Norway has qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and each captain of these eight nations will wear a distinctive OneLove armband — which features a heart containing colors from all backgrounds — during the tournament.

https://www.advocate.com/news/2022/...btq-inclusive-campaign-during-qatar-world-cup

Such political statements are banned by FIFA for the World Cup. But Harry and the boys from other European nations have stated they will wear one anyway.

Are you supporting them and if so why?

 

[KingKhanWC]

I hope the Qataris ban Kane for his publicity stunt, and any other footballer/spectator who attempts to push their liberal agenda in Qatar.

WC in Qatar, their rules, and if fans and players don't like it then don't participate or watch the WC!

Here's the funny part, When China held the Olympics, and when Russia held the World Cup, these same Liberal Social Justice warriors were dead silent. Clearly their racism and prejudice towards Muslims is now being exposed.

Tbf they did attack Russia and China even then but both are huge powers, who pretty much showed them the middle finger so it died down quickly.

With Qatar its because its a Muslim nation and also more advanced, cleaner and more prosperous than any western nation now.

But ultimately they want to force their own weird imo backward ideologies on Muslims.

Muslims will never accept LGBT as a good thing in their lands, so again will be waste of time.

 

[SalimBhai]

https://www.advocate.com/news/2022/...btq-inclusive-campaign-during-qatar-world-cup

Such political statements are banned by FIFA for the World Cup. But Harry and the boys from other European nations have stated they will wear one anyway.

Are you supporting them and if so why?

Human rights above your religious rules is my mantra. However I don’t have a strong feeling on this particular event. Also I don’t think politics and sports should mix. Hence I asked if israel participated what would your views be then.

 

[SalimBhai]

Tbf they did attack Russia and China even then but both are huge powers, who pretty much showed them the middle finger so it died down quickly.

With Qatar its because its a Muslim nation and also more advanced, cleaner and more prosperous than any western nation now.

But ultimately they want to force their own weird imo backward ideologies on Muslims.

Muslims will never accept LGBT as a good thing in their lands, so again will be waste of time.

Qatar has oil and that’s about it. Has terrible human rights record, terrible religious freedom record for being one of the richest countries in the world is terrible for women according to to the GEI . No contributions to science ever and yes is ruled by a king. So no. We don’t care much for Qatar.

 

[Ryw]

No Iran qualified, its not players fault.
Countries politics will not stop and will go on so why stop players from participating in WC.

 

[anikrc1]

Tbf they did attack Russia and China even then but both are huge powers, who pretty much showed them the middle finger so it died down quickly.

With Qatar its because its a Muslim nation and also more advanced, cleaner and more prosperous than any western nation now.

But ultimately they want to force their own weird imo backward ideologies on Muslims.

Muslims will never accept LGBT as a good thing in their lands, so again will be waste of time.

You realize that LGBT folks are the only permanent minorities everywhere? It's not Hindus , not Muslims or Christians, but LGBT folks are the most oppressed throughout the world, because sometimes they are tortured by even their own parents. I have seen you criticize India many times for its treatment of minorities and they were quiet just. So why are you against Kane speaking up for the most marginalised minority community to ever exist?

 

[Manunited18]

I hope the Qataris ban Kane for his publicity stunt, and any other footballer/spectator who attempts to push their liberal agenda in Qatar.

WC in Qatar, their rules, and if fans and players don't like it then don't participate or watch the WC!

Here's the funny part, When China held the Olympics, and when Russia held the World Cup, these same Liberal Social Justice warriors were dead silent. Clearly their racism and prejudice towards Muslims is now being exposed.

Yep. Kane, and other captains of European National teams are ignoring the Fifa ruling and will try hard to impliment their political view on foreign shores. Hopefully everyone one of them goes behind bars!

 

[Manunited18]

You realize that LGBT folks are the only permanent minorities everywhere? It's not Hindus , not Muslims or Christians, but LGBT folks are the most oppressed throughout the world, because sometimes they are tortured by even their own parents. I have seen you criticize India many times for its treatment of minorities and they were quiet just. So why are you against Kane speaking up for the most marginalised minority community to ever exist?

The Qatari home Minister has stated time and time again that everyone of all religions, sexuality, race, are welcome at the world cup as long as they behave like civilised citizens and obide by the law of the ĺand.

 

[sweep_shot]

You realize that LGBT folks are the only permanent minorities everywhere? It's not Hindus , not Muslims or Christians, but LGBT folks are the most oppressed throughout the world, because sometimes they are tortured by even their own parents. I have seen you criticize India many times for its treatment of minorities and they were quiet just. So why are you against Kane speaking up for the most marginalised minority community to ever exist?

I think it is illogical to apply western standards to the whole world.

 

[James]

<b>If we could return to the OP, please.</b>


My view: Iran should 100% keep its place.

I have also noted that whenever people talk about a “free spot” in the World Cup, Ukraine is always the first nation mentioned as ready to take its place. But they didn’t get through. Wales defeated them fair and square in the final qualifier. They’re done.

 

[Junaids]

No chance of it happening.

What will be interesting is if Bolsonaro responds to losing the Brazilian Presidency by launching a coup with his military cronies.

Brazil are hot favourites for the World Cup but the team is split between Catholic Lula supporters and Evangelical Bolsonaro supporters like Neymar.

A Brazilian coup wouldn’t so much lead to Peru replacing Brazil at the World Cup as lead to Serbia and Switzerland having a good chance of knocking them out in the group stage!

But I can’t see Iran being thrown out.

 

[SalimBhai]

Iran should not be thrown out. Politics and sports should not mix

 

[MenInG]

The executive committee of the Ukraine FA has appealed to Fifa to ban Iran from the World Cup in Qatar.

Ukraine and its western allies believe Tehran is supplying weapons to Moscow for use in the war in Ukraine, in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

The committee also believes that Iran is acting in breach of Article 3 and 4 of Fifa statues, which commit football’s global governing body to respect human rights and fight discrimination.

 

[MenInG]

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter thinks Iran should be barred from the World Cup amid widespread protests in the Islamic Republic sparked by the death of a woman in the custody of morality police, a Swiss paper quoted him on Friday as saying.

“Iran should be excluded from the World Cup,” the Blick tabloid reported, saying Blatter at a talk at its publisher’s headquarters had demanded harsh consequences and that he would have removed Iran from competition had he still been in charge.

The protests in Iran pose one of the boldest challenges to Iran’s clerical rulers since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iran has accused foreign enemies of fomenting unrest raging since the death of Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in September after her arrest 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.

Blatter, 86, had made waves this week by saying it had been a mistake to award Qatar the hosting rights to the World Cup, which begins on November 20.

https://sportstar.thehindu.com/foot...ests-fifa-world-cup-qatar/article66123707.ece

 

[MenInG]

It's late September and Iran are playing a friendly against African champions Senegal in Vienna, Austria. When the referee blows the final whistle on a 1-1 draw, it's a good result - but the mood is far from celebratory.

The players do not seem happy, neither do the coaching staff. The Iranian fans outside the ground are certainly not.

Prevented from entering the stadium by local security hired by the Iranian authorities, they've still managed to make their voices heard via the megaphones and loud speakers they set up outside. In fact they were so loud that Iranian state TV broadcasted the match on mute.

Life in Iran since mid-September has been dominated by a wave of dramatic anti-government protests that has evolved into the most significant challenge to the country's Islamic republic in over a decade.

The protests were sparked by the death of a 22-year-old woman who had been detained by Iran's morality police for allegedly breaking their strict hijab rules.

Outside the ground they were chanting: "Say her name: Mahsa Amini."

Iran's government doesn't want people to hear it, especially not at the World Cup. It's not clear how fans or players will act at Monday's opening match against England in Qatar - but everyone will be watching.

Mahsa Amini was a young Kurdish woman from the north-western Iranian city of Saqqez. She died in a Tehran hospital on 16 September, after spending three days in a coma.

She had been visiting the capital with family when she was arrested by Iran's morality police, who accused her of violating the law requiring women to cover their hair with a hijab and their arms and legs with loose clothing.

There are reports that officers beat Amini's head with a baton and banged her head against one of their vehicles. The authorities have denied that she was mistreated and said she suffered "sudden heart failure". Her family has said she was fit and healthy.

Amini's death sparked outrage. When her funeral was held in Saqqez, women took off their hijabs and chanted against the government. Videos of the event were circulated on social media and reaction spready quickly across the country. Sport has provided a platform.

In October, Elnaz Rekabi, a female climber, competed at the Asian Championships in South Korea without wearing her hijab. Thousands met her at the airport on her return to welcome her back.

Before flying home, she posted an Instagram message saying she had competed without her hair covering "inadvertently". To many the language used in her post made it seem like it was written under duress.

But football provides the biggest platform for those wanting to show support for the protests, as the country's most popular sport. And major figures have got involved.

Ali Karimi, a former Iran football international who spent two seasons at Bayern Munich from 2005-2007, has become a figurehead of the opposition movement. Ali Daei, Iran's record goalscorer and a legendary figure in the country, has also shown his support.

In the build-up to the 27 September fixture against Senegal, some of Iran's players posted social media messages in support of the protests, despite having been told not to. Sardar Azmoun, the team's 27-year-old Bayer Leverkusen striker and perhaps their star player, has continued to post his support on Instagram - one of few social media networks allowed to operate in Iran.

For months now players have refused to celebrate goals scored in the Iranian league. Once the ball crosses the line the scorer usually brings their hands down, conveying a message that it is perhaps intended to remind those watching of what's going on in the country. The Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates 15,800 have been detained and 341 killed in the protests. It has also reported the deaths of 39 security personnel.

State TV broadcasters simply cut away from the team that has scored, showing the players of the team that conceded instead.

Esteghlal FC players, one of two most followed clubs in Iran, decided not to celebrate when they won the Super Cup two weeks ago. They told organisers they would only take part in the post-match ceremony if there were no fireworks and no music. State TV cut short those pictures, too.

All Iranian league games have been played behind closed doors since the protests began. Many believe the reason is that Iran's authorities believe fans could potentially become a security threat.

At the Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup in Dubai in early November, Iran's Saeed Piramoon mimicked cutting his hair after scoring a goal - a gesture that has become a symbolic reference to the protests at which some women have been filmed cutting their hair in public. He and his team-mates beat Brazil in the final - and once again there were no celebrations.

Iran's basketball, beach soccer, volleyball and water polo teams have all chosen not to sing the national anthem at recent matches.

But the men's national football team will be without doubt the most widely observed. In their final match before the World Cup - a friendly match against Nicaragua played in Tehran behind closed doors - many players also refused to sing the national anthem, with the exception of two who had previously publicly supported the regime.

Spanish fan detained in Iran while hiking to World Cup

All of this makes for an extraordinarily charged build-up to the World Cup for Iran and its football fans. What will happen if Iran's players again refuse to sing the national anthem, or perform some other kind of protest in view of the cameras in Qatar? What will they do if they score?

The draw itself is quite extraordinary, too.

Amid all the turbulence and turmoil back home, Iran will be facing USA, England and Wales - countries the Iranian government counts among its arch enemies.

Meeting the USA again especially will bring back memories of the enormous national pride felt across Iran after their 2-1 victory in the group stages of the 1998 World Cup in France - their first ever win at the tournament.

How would Iran fans react to a similar result in Qatar? Many feel torn. They are not sure whether cheering for the team might mean betraying those protesters who are risking their lives back home.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

n a significant, politically freighted intervention, Iran’s captain Ehsan Hajsafi has said he would be happy for his team to serve as a force for change in a country where protests against the regime in Tehran continue to escalate.

As Iran’s government faces its most critical moment since the Islamic revolution in 1979, Hajsafi, a left-back at AEK Athens, on Sunday night addressed a press conference before his team’s opening World Cup group game against England in Doha on Monday.

“We have to accept the conditions in our country are not right and our people are not happy,” he said. “We are here but it does not mean we should not be their voice or we must not respect them.

“Whatever we have is from them. We have to fight. We have to perform and score some goals to present the brave people of Iran with a result. I hope conditions change as to the expectations of the people.”

A popular uprising has been gaining momentum since September after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old detained by the country’s morality police for allegedly not covering her head properly.

Since then protests against the rules forcing women to wear the hijab have expanded into widespread discontent with the country’s strict theocracy, with more than 380 people said to have been killed by security forces.

Guardian