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<SPAN class=titolo>Comment: FIFA Not Playing Fair With Iran</SPAN> <SPAN class=sommario>In response to FIFA's decision to suspend Iran from all international competitions due to political interference is the Iranian Football Federation (IFF), Iranian football journalist Kaveh Mahjoob has the following to say to the world's governing body.</SPAN>
<DIV class=articoloTesto><DIV class=articoloFoto><DIV class=articoloFotoCornice id=Articolo_divArticolo><DIV id=Articolo_ei1_p1><SPAN></SPAN><SCRIPT language=JavaScript type=text/javascript> var loccode="glenros250x250";if(!window.adagioBL) adagioBL="";var rnum=parseInt((Math.random()*(Date.parse(new Date()))));document.write('<'+'sc'+'ri'+'pt language=javascript src="http://ad1.neodatagroup.com/ad/goal.jsp?a='+loccode+'&bt=a&bl='+adagioBL+'&rnd='+ rnum+'"><'+'/sc'+'ri'+'pt>');</SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ad1.neodatagroup.com/ad/goal.jsp?a=glenros250x250&bt=a&bl=78074,62 088.&rnd=746115614289"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></SCRIPT></DIV></DIV></DIV><P nd="1">Football is the main form of entertainment for Iranian people. It is a source of pride that brings the whole nation together, inspires them and generates joy and happiness. Effectively, in Iran football is truly what FIFA wants the beautiful game to be; a game of life for the people.<P nd="2">From a procedural perspective, FIFA’s decision to suspend Iran’s football from the international scenes due to its government interference has merit. Sports need to be independent from politics and individual football federations need to remain independent. Conversely, the international governing body of football, FIFA, must also stay pure from politics. <P nd="3">From a wider perspective, in examining the world of football, FIFA’s decision lacks consistency and seems politically motivated. <P nd="4">In many countries outside of Europe, the governments own infrastructures such as stadiums and clubs. As a result, the governments effectively run all sports including football. Why is it that the Iranian government interfering with its football federation is suddenly “suspension” material and why is it that FIFA deciding to make example of Iran? Answering these questions require deeper analysis. <P nd="5">In Saudi Arabia, a member of the royal family is the head of the football federation. Are we to believe thatthe hands of governements are nowhere to be seen in football federations in Saudi Arabia, most of Asia, African countries, Eastern Europe and Central America? <P nd="6">Either FIFA believes that federations around the world are totally independent from their respective governments - in which case FIFA is naïve.<P nd="7">Alternatively,FIFA is fully aware of the conditions and yet has decided to pick on Iran - in which case FIFA’s act feels like, looks like and certainly smells like a political move. <P nd="8">To be clear, I do not defend the Iranian Football Federation (IFF). For months, they knew about “FIFA’s Investigation” and for months they allowed this problem to brew. IFF should ha
<DIV class=articoloTesto><DIV class=articoloFoto><DIV class=articoloFotoCornice id=Articolo_divArticolo><DIV id=Articolo_ei1_p1><SPAN></SPAN><SCRIPT language=JavaScript type=text/javascript> var loccode="glenros250x250";if(!window.adagioBL) adagioBL="";var rnum=parseInt((Math.random()*(Date.parse(new Date()))));document.write('<'+'sc'+'ri'+'pt language=javascript src="http://ad1.neodatagroup.com/ad/goal.jsp?a='+loccode+'&bt=a&bl='+adagioBL+'&rnd='+ rnum+'"><'+'/sc'+'ri'+'pt>');</SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ad1.neodatagroup.com/ad/goal.jsp?a=glenros250x250&bt=a&bl=78074,62 088.&rnd=746115614289"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></SCRIPT></DIV></DIV></DIV><P nd="1">Football is the main form of entertainment for Iranian people. It is a source of pride that brings the whole nation together, inspires them and generates joy and happiness. Effectively, in Iran football is truly what FIFA wants the beautiful game to be; a game of life for the people.<P nd="2">From a procedural perspective, FIFA’s decision to suspend Iran’s football from the international scenes due to its government interference has merit. Sports need to be independent from politics and individual football federations need to remain independent. Conversely, the international governing body of football, FIFA, must also stay pure from politics. <P nd="3">From a wider perspective, in examining the world of football, FIFA’s decision lacks consistency and seems politically motivated. <P nd="4">In many countries outside of Europe, the governments own infrastructures such as stadiums and clubs. As a result, the governments effectively run all sports including football. Why is it that the Iranian government interfering with its football federation is suddenly “suspension” material and why is it that FIFA deciding to make example of Iran? Answering these questions require deeper analysis. <P nd="5">In Saudi Arabia, a member of the royal family is the head of the football federation. Are we to believe thatthe hands of governements are nowhere to be seen in football federations in Saudi Arabia, most of Asia, African countries, Eastern Europe and Central America? <P nd="6">Either FIFA believes that federations around the world are totally independent from their respective governments - in which case FIFA is naïve.<P nd="7">Alternatively,FIFA is fully aware of the conditions and yet has decided to pick on Iran - in which case FIFA’s act feels like, looks like and certainly smells like a political move. <P nd="8">To be clear, I do not defend the Iranian Football Federation (IFF). For months, they knew about “FIFA’s Investigation” and for months they allowed this problem to brew. IFF should ha
