Sport

Iranwire – The International Sports Press Association (AIPS) has condemned the sentencing of two Iranian journalists to a total of 25 years in prison. “We cannot accept this condemnation because true journalism is not a crime,” the AIPS said in a statement on October 22. “This must be clear and we ask all colleagues to mobilize to defend our freedom of expression.” The 15th …

Al-Monitor – A Saudi soccer team refused to play an Iranian squad on Monday, reportedly due to a statue on the sidelines depicting slain Iranian commander Gen. Qasem Soleimani, an indication of the continued complexities of Iran-Saudi relations. What happened: The Saudi soccer team Al-Ittihad was in the Iranian city of Isfahan for a match against the Iranian club Sepahan at Naghsh-e …

Iranwire – FIFA President Gianni Infantino says “it was great to meet” with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in New York, as the Islamic Republic is facing wide criticism over its ban on women attending stadiums, the arrest of football players deemed as critics of the government and the interference of its security institutions in sports matters. After the September 20 …

Iranwire – Iranian security forces have both verbally and physically assaulted football fans who had gathered peacefully near the Tehran hotel housing Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo and his Saudi team, Al-Nassr.  Ronaldo and his teammates arrived in Tehran on September 18 for an Asian Champions League match against Persepolis the next day, sparking scenes of chaos in the Iranian …

Iranwire – – The Islamic Republic’s security forces have violently arrested another athlete in the hometown of Mahsa Amini amid an intensifying crackdown ahead of the anniversary of her death later this week.  The kickboxer Taher Sultani was apprehended in the western Kurdish city of Saqqez in the early hours of September 12. The previous day, the head of the …

Iranwire – The Iranian security forces have arrested the head of the city football board in Saqqez, IranWire has learned. Shirko Hejazi, who is also a prominent civil activist in the western Kurdish city, was apprehended at his home on September 11.  His whereabouts and the motive for his arrest are unknown. The Iranian authorities, fearing a flare up in …

Iranwire – Saudi Pro League clubs will travel to Iran to feature in the Asian Champions League after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced that matches between teams from the two regional rivals would be played on a home-and-away basis for the first time in years. The move means international football stars Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Karim Benzema will play in …

iranintl – Iran’s regime has always pressured female athletes to abide by strict hijab rules during international games, but many are now refusing to obey despite repercussions. Just last week, members of Iran’s national women’s muay thai team boldly challenged the regulations by competing unveiled at the Asian Championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s capital. This courageous act has triggered an …

Iranwire – A 40-year-old football coach in Tehran is on trial for sexually abusing nine teenage boys, local media reported.  The coach, who has not been named, is accused of luring the boys to his home and subjecting them to sexual abuse, Etemad newspaper reported on August 29. The man has confessed using pressure to compel the teenagers to engage …

Iranwire – One of the rare occurrences of civil expression during last year’s nationwide protests in Iran was the jubilation of citizens that followed the national football team’s defeat against the United States in the World Cup in Qatar. This particular form of dissent ignited greater fury from the government and its forces than ever before. In response to the …