Monday, December 27, 2021
Dismissed as Iran’s U23 coach?
Ex-HSV professional threatens punishment for Israel flag
211 associations are members of the world football association FIFA. Accordingly, 211 flags are emblazoned on the jerseys of the players during a friendly match. But only one of the former Bundesliga professional Mehdi Mahdavikia is now fatal: the Israeli one. In Iran he gets into a lot of trouble.
Former Bundesliga professional Mehdi Mahdavikia has been criticized in Iran for having a small Israeli flag on his jersey. The 44-year-old former HSV player is accused of having a dated World Federation FIFA organized friendly match To have worn a jersey on which the flag of Iran’s archenemy Israel was printed. According to media reports, the issue has become a political issue and could have repercussions for Mahdavikia. According to the Ilna news agency, he could lose his new job as coach of the Iranian youth team.
The background to the excitement about the former professional and youth coach of Hamburger SV is a game in Qatar in mid-December. In the game of former players from an Arab all-star team and a world selection, Mahdavikia – as the only non-Arab – played in the Arab team. The teams of both teams played in jerseys on which the flags of all FIFA members were grouped as a sash – and thus also the flags of Israel. A total of 211 associations are recognized by FIFA.
For the hardliners in parliament and the media close to them, Mahdavikia has crossed the “red line” of the country’s sports policy. Iran does not recognize Israel as a legitimate state, Mahdavikia has undermined this principle by wearing the jersey.
In some cases, however, the allegations against Mahdavikia are also rejected as absurd. The match in Qatar was not an official international match, but part of a sporting cultural program organized by FIFA. Mahdavikia could not have walked onto the field without a jersey, it was said in defense. Lothar Matthäus, Javier Mascherano, Andrea Pirlo and other old stars also took part in the game. Mahdavikia herself has not yet commented directly on the criticism.