Iran coach Carlos Queiroz was involved in a confrontation with a journalist after being asked questions about the political situation in the nation.
Queiroz was speaking during a pre-game press conference that was dominated by the line of questioning after Iran opted not to sing the national anthem before its first World Cup match.
The Iranians had stood impassively during their anthem before their 6-2 defeat to England on Monday in an apparent gesture of solidarity with anti-government protesters in the Islamic republic.
At the end of Thursday’s press conference, Queiroz confronted a BBC journalist with claims of double standards.
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In footage captured by other journalists in the room, Queiroz can be heard saying: “Why you don’t ask to (England coach Gareth) Southgate these kind of questions?
“I am talking with you. I ask the pleasure to talk with you. I am asking one thing to you now, the press conference is finished. Do you think it is fair also to ask other questions to other coaches?
“That is the only question I make. Why don’t you ask the other coaches? Why you don’t ask Southgate ‘what do you think about England and the United States that left Afghanistan and all the women alone? Why don’t you ask that?”
Iran has been rocked by demonstrations triggered by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was arrested in September for an alleged breach of the country’s strict dress rules for women based on Islamic sharia law.
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Iran forward Mehdi Taremi refused to comment on political issues and denied his team had come “under pressure” from their government.
Queiroz also said he didn’t believe sport and politics should mix.
“What I find strange, as a humble citizen of the world, is you don’t have the same kind of questions to the other coaches of the other national teams,” he said.
“To make them the only people that need to give you answers about human being problems all over the world, I don’t think it’s fair.”
‘OPERATOR NEGLIGENCE’ BLAMED FOR FAN DEBACLE
Qatar’s Supreme Committee, which is in charge of organising the 2022 World Cup, offered fans who were promised accommodation in official villages, and did not get it, full refunds, blaming “operator negligence.”
“We are aware that a number of fans have faced delays checking into select fan village accommodation due to owner and operator negligence,” a Supreme Committee spokesperson told ESPN. “A section of units in these facilities, which are delivered and managed by different private entities, have not met the required standards that were advertised to fans.
“While these sites are managed by independent commercial entities, rectifying these issues remains the utmost priority for the Supreme Committee. Full refunds are being offered to fans severely impacted by this issue as well as alternative accommodation which will be free of charge for the duration of their stay.”
The villages offer fans the chance to stay in a converted shipping container for about $200 per night. Some of the villages, though, aren’t finished, with one at Rawdat al Jahhaniya still needing construction on toilets and communal washing areas.
— This appeared in NY Post and was republished with consent
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FIFA LAUNCHES ‘HYPOCRITICAL’ CASE OVER FAN CHANTS
FIFA launched disciplinary proceedings on Tuesday over chants by Ecuador fans during their World Cup opener against hosts Qatar.
Football’s world governing body did not say what the chants were but said it came under article 13 of its disciplinary code, which includes discriminatory or abusive words.
Ecuador beat Qatar 2-0 on Sunday to launch the World Cup.
“The FIFA disciplinary committee has opened proceedings against the Ecuadoran Football Association due to chants by Ecuadoran supporters during the Qatar v. Ecuador FIFA World Cup match played on 20 November,” it said.
It is the first such disciplinary measure of the Qatar World Cup, which ends on December 18.
The action has raised eyebrows, however, with some calling out the hypocrisy given players have been banned from wearing rainbow ‘one love’ armbands to support LGBTQI+ communities.
“Two days after they banned the rainbow armband? You couldn’t make some of this stuff up,” commentator Simon Hill wrote.
— With AFP
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