Iran calls for US to be kicked out of 2022 World Cup after it changes Iran flag on social media

[brooklynite]

Source: CNN

Iran state media has called for the US to be kicked out of the 2022 World Cup after the United States Soccer Federation changed Iran’s flag on its social media platforms to show support for protesters in Iran.

The federation had temporarily displayed Iran’s national flag on its official Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts without the emblem of the Islamic Republic. A now-deleted graphic of the Group B standings posted on Saturday displayed the Iranian flag only bearing its green, white and red colors.

US Soccer told CNN on Sunday that it wanted to change the official flag for 24 hours to show “support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights” but always planned to go back to the original flag.

The change “was a one-time graphic,” US Soccer told CNN. “We have the main flag on our website and other places.” The emblem is currently back on the flag on US Soccer’s social media channels.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/27/football/iran-us-flag-protesters-klinsmann-2022-world-cup-spt-intl/index.html

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[skylucy]

1. Oh, F* U* Iran.

[sakabatou]

2. Poor, poor Iran

[Traildogbob]

3. Gonna be

A tense match coming up next week. But I would bet their athletes are not like their leaders. Like ours are not MAGA’s.

[William Seger]

10. The athletes had already protested by not singing their national anthem

... then sang them half-heartedly after threats of reprisals. So the government must be even more pissed at their own athletes.

[Traildogbob]

13. They will be

Threatened if they lose to us. When I was in Navy Boot Camp in San Diego in ‘70, Iran was training “there” with soldiers of their own. I’ve seen them hit in the head with a rifle butt while standing in formation. The “Skuttle Butt” was that if they did not graduate from the year long Boot Camp, was they were sent back and executed. But we sure accommodated them even so. You can bet that is not taught in our history classes. USA USA USA!

[regnaD kciN]

4. TBH, while I sympathise with the sentiment of support on the part of the U.S....

...I think it could have been communicated in a better way. Distorting their flag has the same sort of childish feel as Republicans always making a point of referring to the "Democrat Party." Or even worse, because it's a case of a western nation officially "erasing" the Islam from Iran's identity. In the long run, its only effect is to provide "bulletin-board material" for Iran before an important match.

[The Roux Comes First]

5. I Totally Agree

And "childish" is being far too kind. We have stumbled and bumbled so much on the world stage in the past, oh, say, 77 years, just to pick a stat, that we should be way beyond this sort of crap.

But I assume this is a comparatively independent organization, not officially linked to our government, and no doubt riddled with aging sophomoric sorts like most quasi-democratic organizations tend to be.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

6. Theocrats have no sense of humor

Plus their soccer players suck.

[ZonkerHarris]

7. Iran can kick us out of the Cup with a win on Tuesday. Ball is in your pitch Iran

[SunSeeker]

9. That is going to be a very emotional game. nt

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

12. This shouldn't be a factor in the game. The players on both teams ...

... seem to be "against" the Iranian government's suppression and punishment of women.

When the game is on, "it's on", battling like athletes. Outside of the play, watch for hugs and handshakes across lines.

[Rebl2]

14. If Iran

loses, the head of Iran will say it was rigged no doubt.

[SunSeeker]

8. The Ayatolla can go fuck himself. nt

[DFW]

11. While I'm sure the Iranian government has some support among Iranians abroad

I have never met one of them, and I meet plenty of Iranians here in Europe. One of my friends in Berlin is an ex-pat Iranian. He goes back occasionally to visit family, and I get reports on what is happening back there--from his point of view, obviously. The anti-government sentiment runs high and they hang on by brute force--just like their predecessor.