BARRED FROM STADIUMS AT HOME, IRAN WOMEN MAKE A POINT IN QATAR STANDS
To 27-year-old Mariam, the World Cup match ticket was a precious gift. A sports fanatic, she travelled to Qatar from Tehran to catch Iran’s opening game against England, her first live football match. Women are banned from attending men’s matches in Iran. “I’ve never attended a football match in my life so I had to take this chance,” said Mariam, a student who like other Iranian women at the match declined to give her last name for fear of government reprisals. Iran is competing in the World Cup as a major women’s protest movement is roiling the country. Security forces have violently cracked down on demonstrations, killing at least 419 people, according Human Rights Activists in Iran, a group that has been monitoring the protests. The unrest was spurred by the Sept. 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country’s morality police.
ONELOVE ARMBAND CAMPAIGN DITCHED
The captains of England, Wales, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark will not wear ‘Onelove’ armbands under pressure from FIFA, their associations said in a joint statement on Monday. FIFA has threatened to issue yellow cards to any player wearing the multi-coloured armband which was int to support diversity a inclusion. England captain Harry Kan spoke on Sunday of his desire to wear the armband against Iran. “FIFA has been very clear that it will impose sporting sanctions if our captains wear the armbands on the field of play,” the statement said, hours before England’s match against Iran was due to kick off in Doha.
GREALISH KEEPS HIS PROMISE TO FAN
Jack Grealish kept his promise to a young fan who has cerebral palsy with his celebration after scoring on Monday. Grealish marked the moment with a broad smile and stretched his arms out to the side, rolling them in waves. The midfielder was keeping a pledge he made to 11-year-old Finlay, who met his favourite player after writing a letter to Grealish, whose sister Holly also has cerebral palsy. “I wish there were more people in the world just like you who treat people with disabilities the same as anyone else,” Finlay wrote.
UNITED ROW ‘WON’T SHAKE’ PORTUGAL: CR7 CARVAJAL MISSES PRACTICE WITH FLU
Defender Dani Carvajal has the flu and didn’t practice on Monday, two days before Spain’s opener at the World Cup. The Spanish federation didn’t give more detail about the condition of the right back. His absence comes as regular starting striker Álvaro Morata returned to practice after his own bout with the flu. Central defender Hugo Guillamón, nursing a knee issue, trained separately and was unlikely to be available for Wednesday’s opening match.
HIGH FIVE FOR MEXICO’S OCHOA
Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, appearing in his fifth World Cup in Qatar, said he wanted to instil a sense of calm in the team’s young players to prevent them from feeling overwhelmed against Poland. “There are a lot of young players who don’t have any World Cup experience,” the 37-yearold Ochoa told a news conference on Monday.
Cristiano Ronaldo insisted that his explosive row with Manchester Unite would not impact Portugal’s chances at the World Cup as they prepare for their opening match in Qatar with Ghana. Last week superstar Ronaldo lashed out at Premier League club United and the team’s coach Eri ten Hag in a TV interview after being relegated to a peripheral role this season. “I have no doubt that this recent episode, that interview, and other episodes with other players that happen sometimes, can sometimes shake the player but won’t shake the team,” Ronaldo said at a press conference at the Portugal camp. Ronaldo is set to start his fifth and likely fina World Cup. “I don’t have to worry about what others think, I talk when I want to,” he said. “Everybody in th team knows who I am, what I believe in.” Ronaldo said frosty interaction with his team-mate for club and country Bruno Fernandes, along with images him grabbing Manchester City’s Joao
Cancelo by the head, had been being overblown by the media.