Al Ittihad’s Match Against Iran’s Sepahan Was Cancelled Due To Political Propaganda
Al Ittihad’s players were seen leaving Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium in Isfahan, before their AFC Championship match against Sepahan. Political banners and busts of the late Revolutionary Guard warlord Qassem Soleimani caused quite the controversy on the field.
The Iranian team refused to take down the political images, causing the match to get cancelled
NEW — #Saudi football team @ittihad were meant to play Isfahan in #Iran tonight — but organizers placed a bust of Qassem #Soleimani at the entrance, where the players would run out onto the pitch.
Ittihad have left the stadium in protest, refusing to play. pic.twitter.com/tgqUAaqDbO
— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) October 2, 2023
Ittihad was set to play against Sepahan for this seasons AFC Championships, but decided to cancel and leave the match to head back home.
Fans in the stands were also protesting Iran’s misconduct of bringing propaganda on the field
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
Sepahan fans are angry at the way team officials placed political figures on the field, chanting :
We don’t want football with politics
🇸🇦🇮🇷#ACL2023 #AlIttihad #Sepahan#SEPITH #Iran #Saudi #ITTIHAD #الاتحاد_سباهان #ايران #السعوديةpic.twitter.com/cGP9D5cEZx
— FAISAL RSL (@SaudiPLf) October 2, 2023
Qassem Soleimani was viewed by many as a “selfless hero fighting Iran’s enemies,” but also a “murderer” by others. He was was personally sanctioned by the United Nations and European Union, and was designated as a terrorist by the United States in 2005.
