How Iran is suppressing protest at the World Cup by censoring players and banning journalists
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Iran’s players have been criticised for not joining in with dissent spreading across their homeland but the regime’s crackdown on high-profile figures leaves them in a ‘tricky position’, experts tell i.
By George Simms
‘I don’t care if I’m sacked. Shame on you for killing people so easily. Viva Iranian women.’
These words appeared in a later-deleted Instagram post by Sardar Azmoun, one of Iran’s most famous footballers. With 41 goals in 65 international appearances, the Islamic nation’s World Cup hopes will depend heavily on the Bayer Leverkusen forward.
Yet there was great pressure on national team manager Carlos Queiroz not to select Azmoun for the World Cup, especially from the Iranian government. There are even calls for Iran to be removed from the tournament altogether. They now face England in the Group B opener on the afternoon of Monday 21 November.
Azmoun is aware that he is risking his chance to represent his country by publicly supporting protests sparked by the death of...
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