Iran's Soccer Team Refuses to Sing Their National Anthem at World Cup in Support of Protestors
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Players from the Iran National Team refused to sing their national anthem during the World Cup on Monday, in apparent support of the protestors in their country.
Just before their opening match against England on Monday, all 11 players on Iran's team remained silent during the presentation of their country's national anthem.
The group stood with their arms around one another, in a show of support for protestors as Iran continues to see civil unrest in response to the death of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old citizen who died under police custody. Amini was arrested in September when law enforcement found her not wearing a hijab.
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FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty
She died after being transported to Tehran's Vozara Detention Center. Police maintain that Amini's death was caused by a heart attack she had suffered.
The team was met with support from handful of fans in attendance who protested the anthem as well. Reporter Amichai Stein posted a video from the match, and said that "some of the Iranian crowd [was] booing their own national anthem."
#BREAKING: Iran national team players choose not to sing national anthem at World Cup match; some of the Iranian crowed booing their own national anthem pic.twitter.com/RYPvgHMNUi
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) November 21, 2022
Team captain Ehsan Hajsafi spoke about the current unrest in his country during a media availability on Sunday. "We have to accept that the conditions in our country are not right and our people are not happy."
Hajsafi told reporters that he'd like to express "condolences to the bereaved families in Iran" and that "they should know that we are with them, we support them and we sympathize with them."
RELATED: Iran's Soccer Team Covers Up Their National Emblem as Mahsa Amini Protests Continue
The decision Monday not to participate in their national anthem is another example of Iran's team making a public statement against their country. In September, they chose to cover up Iran's emblem on their jerseys during a World Cup warm-up match.
Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty
The entire roster took the field for their game against Senegal in black jackets, which pointedly covered up the emblem during the national anthem.
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Shortly after, the team's forward Sardar Azmoun explained his feelings on social media. "My heart really broke for Mahsa Amini and the likes of Mahsa Amini who are innocent of this," he posted in Iranian on Instagram.
Additionally, Azmoun acknowledged the risk he and his teammates took when they spoke out against the country. "At worst I'll be dismissed from the national team," he wrote. "No problem. I'd sacrifice that for one hair on the heads of Iranian women. This story will not be deleted. They can do whatever they want."
