Ali Daei stated he’ll keep in Iran, expressed sympathy with households who misplaced family members throughout anti-government demonstrations.
Tehran, Iran – Iranian soccer legend Ali Daei is not going to journey to Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in solidarity with these collaborating in anti-government protests, that are of their eighth week regardless of a brutal crackdown and web restrictions.
The 53-year-old former participant, one of many nation’s most recognisable sports activities figures, wrote to his 10.6 million followers on Instagram late on Monday that he has refused an invite by soccer’s governing physique FIFA and the Qatar Soccer Federation to journey along with his spouse and daughters “in today when most of us are usually not nicely”.
Daei, now a soccer supervisor and businessman, stated he did it to “be by your facet in my homeland and specific my sympathy with all of the households who’ve misplaced family members today” in a submit that acquired two million likes inside hours regardless of a ban on Instagram amid a nationwide throttling of the web.
Protests erupted throughout Iran after the September 16 loss of life in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old lady who was arrested in Tehran by the morality police for allegedly sporting her hijab improperly.
Daei, who was the world’s high worldwide objective scorer with 109 targets till his document was damaged by Cristiano Ronaldo final 12 months, has additionally expressed assist for the protests beforehand.
“As an alternative of suppression, violence, arrests and accusing the individuals of Iran of being rioters, resolve their issues,” he wrote on Instagram shortly after the protests started. His submit was accompanied by the picture of a younger lady taking off her headband, as many have finished in the course of the demonstrations.
The previous captain of the Iranian nationwide soccer staff and ex-Bundesliga participant was additionally at odds with authorities final month when he refuted an official declare {that a} feminine faculty pupil in his hometown of Ardabil had died of pre-existing circumstances in a case that officers stated was unrelated to the protests regardless of media stories.
A picture of Daei circulated on social media late on Sunday, which appeared to point out him within the neighborhood of the Dey Basic Hospital in Tehran, the place imprisoned activist Hossein Ronaghi was believed to have been taken after his well being deteriorated. Quite a few movies on-line confirmed protests across the hospital.
Ronaghi was arrested for talking out in opposition to the crackdown on the protests, throughout which lots of of individuals have been arrested and dozens have died. No official casualty figures can be found.
The Iranian judiciary subsequently confirmed a picture of Ronaghi in a hospital mattress, assembly his mom, and he was later taken again to jail.
The Iranian nationwide staff, which finalised its squad late on Sunday, arrived in Qatar on Monday and started coaching early on Tuesday.
Accompanied by head coach Carlos Queiroz, staff members met with President Ebrahim Raisi and different officers in Tehran hours earlier than leaving for the World Cup.
“Some don’t need to see the success and victory of Iranian youth and want to disturb your focus. Be very vigilant on this,” the president warned them.
Quite a few athletes have proven solidarity with the protests. In the meantime, amid claims that Tehran has armed Russia for the conflict in Ukraine, activists overseas and in Ukraine have individually referred to as for the exclusion of Staff Melli, Iran’s nationwide soccer staff, from the match.