Iran National Team Sees Green

On June, 17^th at least four members of Iran’s national football team, known as Team Melli, decided to wear green wristbands during one of the team’s final World Cup Qualification matches against South Korea. Seemingly subtle, the act had global implications. It was an act of support for opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, the loser in Iran’s bitterly contested recent presidential election.

Many are giving credit to the act as bringing Iran’s political plight into global consciousness. But more than just wearing green wristbands, was WHO was wearing green wristbands. Mehdi Mahdavikia, national hero and team captain, was one of the few who came out in the second half still wearing his band. One might remember Mahdavikia from when he scored the game winner against the US team in the 1998 World Cup, launching him into national glory. On June 17^th, Mahdavikia became a national hero for a different reason.

The world governing football body, FIFA, of course has a strict zero tolerance policy regarding political intervention in football.

“The team of a player whose basic compulsory equipment has political, religious or personal slogans or statements will be sanctioned by the competition organizer or by FIFA.”

However, after the Iranian government forced into retirement four of the players without penalty, one has to question the legitimacy of their rules. After reviewing match reports on July 2^nd, FIFA determined there was nothing in the reports about wristbands and “no further action” will be taken to discipline the Iranian national team. This ‘see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’ stance FIFA has taken on the match is certainly contemptible. But after the players were 'banned' by the national team, it may have become dangerous.

The players have no doubt put themselves in a precarious position, which makes their actions all that more remarkable. First, if FIFA recognizes the original band wearing act as a political statement, they would have to punish the players and/or the team. They didn’t, however, and then the Iranian government interfered and forced the players into retirement. Now, if FIFA decides to punish the Iranian government, they would be forced to admit that the act of symbolism was a political statement to begin with, and admit their mistake. Because FIFA did not take swift action, they have tied their own hands and put the Iranian players in jeopardy, as well as future players for all national teams whose countries are going through political turmoil. Like a parent protecting a child from itself at times, and as the governor of the game as a peaceful and intrinsically independent practice, it is FIFA’s responsibility to protect the integrity of international football. Personally, I feel, the Iranian players are a shining, astonishing example of the reach of peaceful protest, and I commend them. However, objectively, they knew the potential consequences of their actions and such consequences should have been exacted by the governing football body, not their government. One might ask: “Why punish a national team for displays of the players?” The power to ban teams from tournaments like the World Cup is the only power FIFA truly wields. In the past they have used it to remove political institutions from meddling in their country’s football associations, as was the case recently with Peru and Ethiopia. By doing nothing, FIFA has empowered the Iranian government to interfere in the future.

The players forced into retirement were Ali Karimi, 31; Hosein Ka'abi, 24; Vahid Hashemian, 32; and Mahdvakia, 32.

written by Mark Stevens of the thetruefootball.com