'Beat them on field': Iran wants US banned from FIFA World Cup over flag without Islamic Republic emblem

AL RAYYAN, QATAR: Iran has called on FIFA to ban US from World Cup 2022 following the United States Soccer Federation's recent social media post. US Soccer reportedly posted an image of Iran’s flag without the emblem of the Islamic Republic to show “support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights,” reports Reuters. The image of the Group B standings posted on Saturday, November 26, across US Soccer’s official Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts, and which has now been deleted, showed the Iranian flag only bearing its green, white and red colours.

The removal was in support for the protest in Iran since mid-September, against the hijab and other restrictions on women after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in the custody of morality police on September 16. However, Iran state-aligned Tasnim news agency wrote on Twitter on Sunday, November 27, “By posting a distorted image of the flag of the Islamic Republic of #Iran on its official account, the #US football team breached the @FIFAcom charter, for which a 10-game suspension is the appropriate penalty. Team #USA should be kicked out of the #WorldCup2022." On the other hand, US Soccer media official Michael Kammarman said, as quoted by Reuters, "We didn't know anything about the posts but we are supporters of women's rights, we always have been. We're focused a lot on Tuesday and the sporting side as well... but at the same time we're firm believers in women's rights and support them. And we know that it's a lot of difficulties and a lot of heartbreak and in a very disturbing time."