Iran football great Ali Karimi leads call for Infantino to speak up on protest deaths

"A group of prominent Iranians with links to football have called on Fifa's president, Gianni Infantino, to condemn the killing and arrest of footballers in Iran and the threats made against players in the country. The demand was made in open letter also addressed to the presidents of Fifa's more than 200 national associations. Among its 20 signatories are Ali Karimi, who played 127 times for Iran, and three other former full internationals. The list also includes a football coach, a referee and sports journalists."

"The letter says a nationwide, popular, and civic movement has been met by the Iranian authorities with systematic repression, mass killings, and actions that constitute clear instances of crimes against humanity and war crimes. Among thousands killed in protests this month the letter refers to information and reports that put the death toll at more than 18,000, though other estimates are even higher were what the letter describes as a significant number of members of the football community."

"Other victims listed include Saba Rashtian, a women's football assistant referee, the youth coach Mehdi Lavasani, the footballers Amirhossein Mohammadzadeh and Ribin Moradi, and Mohammad Hajipour, a goalkeeper for Iran's national beach soccer team. The letter also raises concern over the fate of Amirhassan Ghaderzadeh, a 19-year-old footballer with Sepahan Isfahan, whose family has reportedly been informed that he faces an imminent risk of execution owing to his participation in protests."

Prominent Iranians linked to football have asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino and more than 200 national association presidents to condemn killings, arrests, and threats targeting footballers. Signatories include Ali Karimi, three other former internationals, a coach, a referee, sports journalists, and Bakhtiar Rahmani. The signatories say a nationwide civic movement has been met with systematic repression, mass killings, and actions amounting to crimes against humanity and war crimes, citing reports that put the death toll above 18,000. Numerous football community members are named among the victims, and concern is raised over a 19-year-old player facing imminent execution.

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