The match against Egypt at the World Cup was “christened” as a symbolic match for civil rights, but the president of the Tehran Football Federation opposes it: “We have no interest in playing under the colors of the rainbow”
The match between Iran and Egypt continues to be discussed. The president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj spoke on the match scheduled for June 26 in Seattle for the group stage of the World Cup, which has in fact become the “Pride Match” that opens the city’s PrideFest, defining the initiative as “an insult to Islamic values”.
protests
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The president then pointed out that the match also coincides with the beginning of the holy month of Muharram, dedicated to the memory of Imam Husayn ibn Ali. In Iran, homosexuality is considered a sin punishable by death, while in Egypt it is a criminal offence. For this reason, both nations have asked FIFA to remove the elements linked to Pride or to move the match: “We have no interest in our third match of the World Cup being played under the colors of the rainbow. We are determined to prevent it and we will do so – said Taj – certain initiatives are in direct contradiction with the cultural, religious and social values of the region, particularly in Arab and Islamic societies”.
the mayor and FIFA
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Local leaders of Seattle and the future mayor Katie Wilson have instead confirmed that the celebrations will continue throughout the city, to promote inclusiveness and visibility of the LGBTQ+ community. FIFA has acknowledged the complaints, stressing that its control is limited to official stadiums and fan zones, not events organized by the local community.
La Gazzetta dello Sport
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