June 25, 2009
FIFA has more balls than the American government
OK, yeah, they're going to have more balls anyway, being the international governing body for soccer and all, but still. At least they're demanding an explanation regarding the punishments being handed out to the Iranian national team soccer players.
Iran is now claiming that Ali Kimiri and Mehdi Mahdavikia stepped down from the national team on their own, to give younger players a shot at playing for the national team. Kimiri is 31 and Mahdavikia is 32. It's possible that they chose this point to retire, as it's unusual to continue playing on a national team past the age of 30 and the South Korea match ended their chances at qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. However, there has been no comment as to what is happening to the national careers of Hosein Ka’abi and Vahid Hashemian. Hashemian is 32, Ka’abi is 24.
Even if the players have not been officially banned from soccer, there is still the matter of whether their passports were taken from them. The Iranian government could attempt to make the case that their passports were taken from them for political crimes, and that it has nothing to do with their soccer careers.
Iran was briefly banned from international soccer in 2006 after it was determined that the government was interfering in the running of the national team. National soccer organizations worldwide elect the organization president, and the Iranian government had dismissed the president, Mohammed Dadekan. After Dadekan was reinstated, Iran was allowed to resume playing international soccer. An excellent explanation of the ban can be found at Payvand. An international soccer ban would receive as warm a welcome in Iran as banning an NFL team would here.
Why the big deal over what's happening to a few soccer players? The banning of these four players illustrates a fundamental difference in ideology. As Americans, we know that our rights come from the simple fact of being a human being. We understand that we have freedom of thought and speech, that we can criticize our government without fear of repercussions from the government in our personal and professional lives. The Iranian government does not recognize those basic principles, but instead believes that its citizens' rights derive from the government. The very idea that the American government would ever force someone to quit their career merely for speaking out in opposition is anathema to most Americans. (Yes, this is a thought on what happened to Joe the Plumber.)
As a bonus to you for having read this far about a sport I'm certain you're uninterested in, we have Iranian Soccer Babe, courtesy of World Must Be Crazy.
Iran is now claiming that Ali Kimiri and Mehdi Mahdavikia stepped down from the national team on their own, to give younger players a shot at playing for the national team. Kimiri is 31 and Mahdavikia is 32. It's possible that they chose this point to retire, as it's unusual to continue playing on a national team past the age of 30 and the South Korea match ended their chances at qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. However, there has been no comment as to what is happening to the national careers of Hosein Ka’abi and Vahid Hashemian. Hashemian is 32, Ka’abi is 24.
Even if the players have not been officially banned from soccer, there is still the matter of whether their passports were taken from them. The Iranian government could attempt to make the case that their passports were taken from them for political crimes, and that it has nothing to do with their soccer careers.
Iran was briefly banned from international soccer in 2006 after it was determined that the government was interfering in the running of the national team. National soccer organizations worldwide elect the organization president, and the Iranian government had dismissed the president, Mohammed Dadekan. After Dadekan was reinstated, Iran was allowed to resume playing international soccer. An excellent explanation of the ban can be found at Payvand. An international soccer ban would receive as warm a welcome in Iran as banning an NFL team would here.
Why the big deal over what's happening to a few soccer players? The banning of these four players illustrates a fundamental difference in ideology. As Americans, we know that our rights come from the simple fact of being a human being. We understand that we have freedom of thought and speech, that we can criticize our government without fear of repercussions from the government in our personal and professional lives. The Iranian government does not recognize those basic principles, but instead believes that its citizens' rights derive from the government. The very idea that the American government would ever force someone to quit their career merely for speaking out in opposition is anathema to most Americans. (Yes, this is a thought on what happened to Joe the Plumber.)
As a bonus to you for having read this far about a sport I'm certain you're uninterested in, we have Iranian Soccer Babe, courtesy of World Must Be Crazy.
Posted by: Alice H at
09:32 AM
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1
umm...I suddenly have an interest in soccer.
I am intrigued by your ideas, and would love to subscribe to your magazine
Posted by: eddiebear at June 25, 2009 09:49 AM (wnU1W)
Posted by: Veeshir at June 25, 2009 09:53 AM (ThMnZ)
3
I have to say that FIFA and ummm whatever the tennis organization is have stepped up. Too bad that idk our President doesn't have the same basic decency.
Posted by: alexthechick at June 25, 2009 10:17 AM (TNIFh)
4
I'd argue that soccer's not gay, but then there's this photoshoot. I don't think they're ever going to live it down. Especially Landon Donovan.
Posted by: Alice H at June 25, 2009 10:21 AM (qJHYy)
5
And you know, I keep thinking about the amount of power that FIFA has versus the amount of power the US government has, and FIFA's actions here versus the Maersk Alabama. There's no doubt in my mind that if it turns out that these four players are indeed banned, there will be immediate repercussions. What's happening with Somalian piracy these days?
Posted by: Alice H at June 25, 2009 10:28 AM (qJHYy)
6
Banned? Sure, they'll be banned for about a month or two until the heat dies down.
Then.... they'll be too dead to play soccer.
Posted by: Veeshir at June 25, 2009 10:56 AM (ThMnZ)
7
I'd argue that soccer's not gay, but then there's this photoshoot. I don't think they're ever going to live it down. Especially Landon Donovan.
Whoa.
Whoa.
I'll be in my bunk.
(What? I'm into soccer. And soccer players. And I sorta know Landon. /innocentvoice)
Whoa.
Whoa.
I'll be in my bunk.
(What? I'm into soccer. And soccer players. And I sorta know Landon. /innocentvoice)
Posted by: Gabriel Malor at June 25, 2009 08:53 PM (rWvvO)
8
I'll be joining Gabe in his bunk. Rawr. Intro me to Landon. And Argentinian guy.
Posted by: It's Vintage, Duh at June 25, 2009 09:01 PM (L23Mk)
9
Vinty, the Argentinian guy is Pablo Mastroeni, who is now an American citizen and plays for the Colorado Rapids. We need to figure out a time when the Rapids are doing one of their season ticket holder appreciation get-togethers where the players show up and fly you and Gabe out here. We have tickets on the midfield line, close enough to the players that we can spit on the coach's head.
Pablo hasn't had the dreadlocks for a number of years, by the way. I was looking for a more recent picture of him that looked like him, but all the pictures of him either look dorky or he's got exertion-face. Which may be a plus for you guys, I don't know. He's very nice in person, but he's very married.
Oh, wait, here's a halfway decent pic of him, let's see if it actually embeds:
Pablo hasn't had the dreadlocks for a number of years, by the way. I was looking for a more recent picture of him that looked like him, but all the pictures of him either look dorky or he's got exertion-face. Which may be a plus for you guys, I don't know. He's very nice in person, but he's very married.
Oh, wait, here's a halfway decent pic of him, let's see if it actually embeds:
Posted by: Alice H at June 25, 2009 09:54 PM (qJHYy)
10
I have to say, a lot of these responses strike a real chord with me but many peoples comments seem to get a bit too aggresive if you do not correspond with their feelings. bathrooms
Posted by: Laverne Eppard at November 09, 2010 11:23 AM (CSfl2)
11
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