Iran’s national men’s soccer team refused to sing the country’s national anthem at the start of their first match in the Qatar World Cup on Monday, in an apparent act of defiance against their government.
The team stood in a line with arms around one another's shoulders, before their opening match against England, but instead of singing the words, as is traditional, the players looked stony-faced and stared straight ahead.The moment was not shown on state TV in Iran.
“We have to accept that the situation in our country is not good and that our people are not happy, they are discontent," Hajsafi said at a press conference."We are here, but it does not mean we should not be their voice or that we should not respect them. Whatever we have is theirs." in September, days after she was detained by police for allegedly breaking the country's strict dress codes.Amin Mohammad Jamali / Getty Images file
Yahya Golmohammadi, head coach of Persepolis FC in Tehran, one of Iran’s most famous teams, was summoned and questioned by authorities, semi-official ISNA news agency reported Saturday. Iranian security forces had restored order in Mahabad, Boukan and Piranshahr and “have started to arrest the ones making the cities unsafe from Friday,” ISNA reported.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
England vs Iran Prediction - World Cup Odds & Free PickWorld Cup prediction, odds, and betting tips for England vs Iran on November 21. World Cup free pick and game analysis.
Read more »
World Cup updates, scores: England kicks off against Iran; USMNT gets ready for WalesFollowing FIFA's threat of yellow cards for any players wearing the 'OneLove' armbands during the WorldCup, the federations of England, Wales, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland asked their captains not to wear them. OneLove
Read more »
World Cup live updates: England vs. Iran opens a big day in QatarThe World Cup is in full swing Monday, with three games featuring high-profile squads making their debuts in Qatar. First, star-studded England, a contender to win its first world title since 1966, takes on Iran in Group B. Follow our live updates:
Read more »
Iran players opt not to sing national anthem at World CupIran's national soccer team chose not to sing their country's anthem before their opening World Cup match against England on Monday, in an apparent show of support for protesters back home.
Read more »
World Cup ticketing app problem delays fans at England-IranProblems with FIFA’s mobile application for World Cup match tickets have delayed fans from getting into the stadium to watch England play Iran in the second game of the tournament.
Read more »