Iran firestorm ‘blindsides’ USA squad, coach as FIFA told to kick out

Rashford determined to take chance with England at World Cup

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The Iranian government are demanding FIFA kick the USA out of the 2022 World Cup ahead of their decisive Group B clash on Tuesday for displaying the country’s flag on social media without the Islamic Republic emblem. However, it’s been revealed that US Soccer left players, coaches and the federal government in the dark before making the controversial move.

Ahead of the must-win battle at the Al-Thumama Stadium, the USA’s social media handles posted a Group B table featuring an altered version of Iran’s flag. They later revealed it was to show ‘support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights’, which didn’t help simmer the diplomatic firestorm that followed.

Iran’s state-affiliated media Tasnim News Agency noted FIFA rules to argue why the governing body should throw the USA out of the tournament in Qatar. It read: “According to section 13 of #FIFA rules, any person who offends the dignity or integrity of a country, a person or group of people … shall be sanctioned with a suspension lasting at least ten matches or a specific period, or any other appropriate disciplinary measure.

“By posting a distorted image of the flag of the Islamic Republic of #Iran on its official account, the #US football team breached the @FIFAcom charter, for which a 10-game suspension is the appropriate penalty. Team #USA should be kicked out of the #WorldCup2022.”

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However, those at risk of suffering because of the breach didn’t even know the social media would be published. Ahead of the Iran meeting, which the USA need to win to qualify for the last 16, defender Walker Zimmerman revealed the coaches and players were left blindsided. He said: “We didn’t know anything about the post, but we are supporters of women’s rights. We always have been.

“We are focused a lot on Tuesday from the sporting side as well, you know. So you mentioned it as a distraction. I think this is such a focused group on the task at hand. But at the same time, we empathize, and we are firm believers in women’s rights and support them.”

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The Islamic Republic emblem, designed in 1980, carries controversy amid violent protests against Iran’s government in the wake of 22-year-old female Mahsa Amini’s death under police custody on September 16. According to Human Rights Activists in Iran, over 450 protestors have been killed, with a further 18,000+ arrested since Amini’s tragic demise.

Yahoo! Sports claim that US Soccer did consult with ‘Iranian American experts’ over their social media post. However, the out-of-the-loop USA coaches and players will hope a decision completely out of their hands won’t cost them a potentially memorable World Cup campaign.

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