The Iranian nationwide group has toed a high quality line between expressing support for protesters back home and risking severe repercussions from the regime for doing so. They’ve been criticized for not being extra vocal concerning the regime’s violent suppression of dissent on the world stage, the Associated Press reported. Some additionally known as out Ezatolahi for failing to say that Samak was killed by safety forces.
The group additionally confronted criticism early on for assembly with and bowing to President Ebrahim Raisi earlier than they traveled to Qatar for the World Cup. In the course of the competitors, nevertheless, the gamers appeared to cautiously specific solidarity with protesters again house.
Forward of its first match, group captain Ehsan Hajsafi acknowledged the oppression of Iranians again house, saying the “situations in our nation usually are not proper.”
“We’re right here, however it doesn’t imply that we shouldn’t be their voice or we should not respect them,” he stated.
The teammates additionally stayed silent because the Iranian nationwide anthem performed at their first match in opposition to England, in what many interpreted as a present of help to protesters.
They have been later threatened by the members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and informed their households would face “violence and torture” in the event that they participated in any political protest in opposition to the federal government, CNN reported, citing an nameless supply.
The group joined in singing the nationwide anthem of their different two video games, in opposition to Wales after which the US.
