Iran is playing in the World Cup this year for the fifth and third time in a row.
Until two and a half months ago, it was clear that this would be an important, colorful and joyful event, and that after each game - win or lose - the enthusiastic fans, most of them with lion and sun flags (the flag of Iran before the revolution), would sing to the players "Bacha Mothscherim" ("Friend e, thank you").
But then the most serious protest since the establishment of the Islamic Republic broke out, and the World Cup is being held in the shadow of the protest in the streets.
And this is a very heavy shade.
For Iranians, football is an important element not only in their leisure culture but in their very identity: the current protest united not only different ethnic groups, but more importantly - the fans of the different football teams.
When athletes expressed protest/sympathy/sadness - they were appreciated, and when it was soccer teams - the opposing team's fans also expressed appreciation: Persepolis fans appreciated Esteclal's lack of expression of joy at the trophy ceremony, and Esteclal fans appreciated Persepolis players coming onto the field with ribbons - A black arm as a sign of mourning for the protest.
But then the authorities got into the thick of it.
Traditionally, the authorities try not to express too much enthusiasm for sports matters, but also not to express opposition, because they know what limits cannot be crossed.
This time they decided to recruit the athletes to their side.
Iran national team coach, Carlos Kirosh.
Will the shoulders of his players withstand the load?, Photo: AFP
It is not clear if the move was intended to bring the people closer to the government through the athletes (until now the majority supported the protest), or to neutralize another power group - which is what happened: the national team players were brought to a meeting with President Raisi.
They were polite, some of them even bowed their heads as a sign of respect.
and gave him a shirt with the number 12. The result was not support of the people for the regime following the personal example of the athletes, but bewilderment, anger and some kind of protest against the athletes who cooperate with the regime.
But what choice did they have?
The heads of the association are politicians, "tropical drinkers" as the regime's opponents call its supporters, and if the players want to continue playing for the national team, there is a limit to the boldness they can express.
Iranian national team players with President Raisi.
What choice did they have?, Photo: EPA
But then the players themselves were wrong.
While Iran mourns the death of those killed in the protests, and in particular Kayan Pirfalch, a nine-year-old boy who was killed by the security forces on his way to the market with his parents and siblings, the national team's players published pictures of themselves from Qatar, in which they are happy, laughing and doing nonsense.
These are ordinary pictures in ordinary times, but the Iranians were outraged.
How can they be happy and spend time in Iran when people are killed, injured, arrested and tortured every day, and that is apart from the ongoing repression of the last 43 years?
Pictures of the players were published alongside pictures of a Ukrainian player crying bitterly over the war dead in his country (so according to surfers, that is what is important about the issue), and many Iranians, even those not interested in football, expressed hope that England would inflict a humiliating defeat on the Islamic Republic team.
Compare the photos that the national team took of themselves in the last 24 hours with the ones that the people of their country took of themselves..👎🏻 #تيم_ملي_بيشرف pic.twitter.com/oLyFQ6avXd
— _Dr.Kay_ (@DrKayvanMirhadi) November 17, 2022
The dynamic towards the football players is similar to the dynamic in politics, where the vision is black or white, and white becomes black very easily.
I still think that the conduct of the players in the games and during the playing of the national anthem in the World Cup games this week, will determine the future of their image in the eyes of the people.
If even now they choose to go up with black armbands, not to sing the national anthem and/or not to express joy for exiles - there is a chance that they will once again go to the side of the forces of light.
Search Twitter for the hashtag "disrespectful national team".
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