Iranian Football Team Refuses To Sing National Anthem In Support Of Protests

The Iranian football team refused to sing the national anthem before their World Cup 2022 match with England. The team’s silence was seen as an apparent expression of support for the anti-government protests in Iran.

Iranian state television cut its coverage of the anthem and switched to a wide shot of the stadium. Fans shouted and jeered during the national anthem and some held up signs which read, “Woman, Life, Freedom”.

Iranian fans could be heard chanting “Ali Karimi”, the former footballer who was an outspoken critic of the Islamic Republic.

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Iranian Football Team Refuses To Sing National Anthem

Karimi publically supported the Mahsa Amini protests against the government and wrote on his social media that not even holy water could “wash away this disgrace ”.

The Dubai-based Karimi was charged in absentia by Iran for “encouraging riots” and his house in Lavasan, Tehran Province was seized by Iran.

The Iranian fans were also heard chanting “Be-Sharaf” which means dishonourable in Persian. Be-Sharaf is an adjective that protesters used against security forces in Iran.

The Iran team had previously covered up their national team badge by wearing jackets when they played two warm-up internationals in September.

Many citizens have criticised the Iranian football team for not openly supporting the protests and for meeting President Ebrahim Raisi earlier this month.

Before the game, the football team captain Ehsan Hajsafi said that the players supported those who passed away in the Iran protests.

Mass protests were sparked after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in the custody of the morality police in September. Amini had been detained for allegedly wearing her headscarf improperly.

According to human rights activists, more than 400 protesters were killed and 16,800 others were arrested in the crackdown by Iran’s security forces. The government is claiming that the widespread protests are "riots" orchestrated by foreign agents.

Recently, the Iranian women's basketball team took a photograph of themselves without their hijabs and posted it on social media. The caption read, "Woman Life Freedom" in support of the protests that rocked the nation.