FIFA Bans Iran From World Play

MR reader Merav, sending us this Reuters story from YNet , comments: “I can’t believe they did it. If this doesn’t start a revolution, I don’t know what will”:

Iran has been suspended from all international soccer activity because of government interference in running the game in the country, world ruling body FIFA said on Thursday. The move comes just five months after Iran took part in the World Cup finals in Germany and a week after they secured a place in the 2008 Asian Cup finals, winning their qualifying group by beating South Korea 2-0 in Tehran. An Iranian news agency said Iran did not accept the decision and described it as “completely illegitimate.” Fans in the soccer-mad country were stunned.

No national soccer is enough to make us almost feel bad for the average Iranian. Unfortunately, polls show that the average Iranian supports Ahmadinejad, so they can spend the next few years watching reruns of Saturday morning cartoons for all we care. Except their cartoons are also viciously anti-Semitic, so that might not help:

Sure it’s not soccer – but it’s still Jew-demonizing fun for the whole Iranian family! And that’s at least something for the Ahmadinejad supporters to hold on to in these dark, soccer-less times.

Previously: Rome the Night Italy Won the World Cup – Oh Yeah, We Were There, Palestinian Soccer Players to be Punished for Playing With Israelis, EU Population Races to Be More Anti-Semitic than Leaders – Soccer Edition

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