Iran's World Cup football team declined to sing their national anthem before their opening match against England today after many fans back home accused the squad of siding with a violent state crackdown on persistent popular unrest
Protests demanding the fall of the ruling Shi'ite Muslim theocracy have gripped Iran since the death two months ago of young woman Mahsa Amini after her arrest for flouting the strict Islamic dress code.
The Iranian squad could not avoid being overshadowed by the anti-government unrest, while other World Cup teams were squarely focused on their tactics on the pitch. Before travelling to Doha the team met with hardline Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Photos of the players with Mr Raisi, one of them bowing in front of him, went viral while the street unrest raged on, drawing an outcry on social media.
Iranians are especially outraged because athletes around the world have been speaking out for the demonstrators in Iran while their football team has remained largely silent.
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