◀ Anchor ▶
Meanwhile, political comments or actions by players at sporting events such as the World Cup have been taboo.
But this time the atmosphere is a little different.
After a while, Iran’s players against England expressed their support for the anti-government protests that are happening in their country.
This is reporter Shin Jeong-yeon.
◀ Report ▶
The Iranian national team ahead of England in the first leg of the qualifiers.
Captain Haji Safi raised the issue of the government’s repression of protests as if determined.
[에산 하지사피/ 이란 대표팀 주장]
“The current situation in Iran is not right and the people are not happy. We have to do our best to score goals and dedicate them to the wounded Iranian people.”
Iran’s national team has refrained from commenting on the protests since Azmoun, the leading striker, was forced to leave after publicly criticizing him, saying, “It is shameful to kill the women and people of Iran.”
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Former Iranian national team player and celebrity coach Golmohammadi, who criticized the national team for not “voicing the government for the oppressed people,” was eventually arrested for posting provocative posts.
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Gaziani, a famous Iranian actress who supported the anti-government protests, was also arrested by police after posting an 18-second video in which she tied her hair without wearing a hijab.
He wrote in this post, “I believe this will be the last video,” and “I will be with the people of Iran until I die.”
A rapper who expressed support for protesters was even sentenced to death.
[나자닌 보니아디/ 이란 여배우]
“They are fighting with all their might. We must side with them or these deaths and murders will go unpunished in Iran.”
Anti-government protests have continued in Iran for a second month after a woman in her 20s died mysteriously after being arrested by police for not wearing a hijab.
Nearly 400 people are known to have been killed so far as the Iranian government mobilized the army and began a bloody crackdown.
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Meanwhile, the focus of the England national team facing Iran was human rights issues in host country Qatar.
Before the match, a kneeling performance was announced, and captain Harry Kane decided to wear a rainbow armband.
It is a protest against the oppression of migrant workers and sexual minorities in Qatar.
The Associated Press reported that politics came first in the match between Iran and England, where matters related to politics were as intense as football.
This is Shin Jeong-yeon from MBC News.
Video editing: Jang Ye-eun
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