Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV

Iran drops duo from national team for playing against Israel’s Maccabi

by Daily Sabah with AFP

ISTANBUL Aug 10, 2017 - 12:00 am GMT+3
Iran's Masoud Shojaei (C), during a game against Qatar. (AFP Photo)
Iran's Masoud Shojaei (C), during a game against Qatar. (AFP Photo)
by Daily Sabah with AFP Aug 10, 2017 12:00 am

Iran has dropped midfield duo Haji Safi and Masoud Shojaei from the national team for having played against Maccabi Tel Aviv for their Greek club Panionios last week, the sports ministry said Thursday.

Deputy Sports Minister Mohammad Reza Davarzani said they could no longer wear the national shirt after they played against the Israeli club in the Europa League third qualifying round second leg in Greece.

"Shojaei and Haji Safi have no place in Iran's national football team any more because they crossed the country's red line," Davarzani told state television.

"They have a financial contract with a club to be paid and play for that team, but to play with the representative of a loathsome regime... this is not acceptable for Iranian people."

The two players had refused to play in the away leg in Israel despite facing "pressure" and "financial fines" from their club, the sports ministry said.

But they played in the second leg in Greece on August 4. It did not help Panionios, who lost 0-1 and 0-2 on aggregate.

Current and former top players, including Ali Karimi and Mehdi Taremi, expressed support for their colleagues, saying they had no choice but to play the game.

But Iran football federation vice president Ali Kafashian told the Mizan Online website that they shouldn't have played "even if their contracts would have been terminated."

Iran believes any dealing with Israel, including facing its players in sports, means recognising the Jewish state and betraying the Palestinian cause.

The rivalry between the Middle East arch foes is inevitably political.

The Israeli foreign ministry welcomed the Iranian players' decision.

"Well done to Masoud Shojaei and Ehsan Haji Safi who broke the taboo of not playing in matches against Israeli athletes," it said on its @IsraelPersian twitter account.

The Iranian foreign ministry signalled no change in its position and suggested that athletes who played abroad ought to get an exemption from taking part in games against Israelis written into their contracts.

"This is an illegitimate regime which we don't recognise," ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said.

Israel and Iran do not have diplomatic relations. Iranian passports bear the statement "Not valid for occupied Palestine," an obscure reference to Israel and the fact that the Jewish state has illegally occupied and blockaded Palestine.

When they signed for Panionios in July, Safi had 84 caps and six goals, while Shojaei had 71 caps and eight goals.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Aug 10, 2017 8:34 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    sports
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Turkish domestic tourism's favorite Ayvalık to be chockablock at Eid
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021