"In the face of thousands of killings, leading figures in Iranian sport have been vocal about the need for help and action. Former Iran and Bayern Munich star Ali Karimi signed an open letter to FIFA's President Gianni Infantino, calling on him to "publicly condemn the mass killing of civilians in Iran, including members of the football community." Karimi, along with 20 other signatories that include other former internationals, a coach, a referee and sports journalists, also asks FIFA to act in the face of human rights being violated."
"In the letter, the other two formal demands are to publicly acknowledge that the Iranian FA has violated FIFA statutes and that the FA be suspended from all FIFA competitions immediately, notably the 2026 World Cup. Among the thousands killed this month were what the letter describes as "a significant number of members of the football community." Karimi has been living in the United States since 2023, and spoke in January at a protest in Los Angeles and called for political change. Sport's fight against the regime has long been contested in Iran. Three years ago, speaking at an event at the German Football Museum in Dortmund organized by the German Football Association (DFB) in cooperation with Amnesty International, Ali sent a video message about the then-protest for freedom: "Athletes should always be on the right side of history," he said. FIFA has yet to comment on the letter, which finished with: "Silence in the face of these crimes amounts to abandoning the very principles that global football claims to defend.""
Thousands have been killed amid widespread protests across Iran, with demonstrators calling for government change and chanting "death to the dictator." Prominent sports figures, including former Iran and Bayern Munich star Ali Karimi, have urged FIFA to publicly condemn mass killings and to recognize violations by the Iranian Football Association. Signatories requested immediate suspension of the Iranian FA from all FIFA competitions, including the 2026 World Cup, citing significant casualties among the football community. Karimi has spoken at protests abroad and emphasized that athletes should be on the right side of history. Official casualty figures remain in doubt amid reports of heavy repression.
Read at www.dw.com
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