Iran to ‘deal with’ footballers after anti-hijab protest
Beach soccer team who mimed cutting their hair during cup win reportedly arrested by security forces
THE Iranian authorities have threatened to “deal with” the country’s beach soccer team after they mimicked cutting their hair in solidarity with antigovernment protesters.
Families, fans and media were prevented from meeting the team after they arrived home to Tehran from a competition in Dubai. Media outlets outside Iran reported that the players had been arrested by security forces.
There was no immediate comment from Iranian officials but the country’s football federation announced on Monday that it would take action against players who contravened Fifa rules against “political behaviour”.
The national team won the Emirates Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup 2-1 against Brazil on Sunday but earlier Iranian players were filmed remaining silent when their national anthem was played during their semi final.
After Iranian player Saeed Piramoun scored the winning goal he mimicked cutting his hair, which has become a defining gesture of Iranians protesting against the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of morality police in September.
His action was interpreted as supportive of the protests, and footage of the moment went viral online.
However, the football federation said: “People who have not followed professional and sports ethics … will be dealt with according to the regulations.”
In a statement, the national body said: “As per regulations of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Olympic code of ethics and the rules of Fifa, political behaviour must be avoided in sports fields.”
As the football World Cup approaches there have even been calls for Fifa to ban Iran from competing in Qatar. Former Iran coach Jalal Talebi, who led the country to a victory over the United States at the 1998 World Cup, told the New York Times that now is “not the time” to participate in the World Cup and suggested he may decline to commentate on the matches.
Other Iranians to have provoked controversy since the death of Ms Amini include Iranian sport climber Elnaz Rekabi, who appeared at a competition in South Korea last month without a headscarf, in an act interpreted as a gesture of protesters demonstrating against mandatory hijab laws.
Amid claims she had been arrested, Ms Rekabi later insisted she had not meant it as a protest, with some commentators speculating she may have been coerced by Iranian authorities.
Yesterday, Iran’s judiciary announced that it had already handed out more than 1,000 convictions for “rioting” since the death of Ms Amini.