Crime and punishment, Iran-style: Four members of Iran's national soccer team were dismissed over their decision to protest the contested election results during a recent game, an official Iranian newspaper reported Tuesday.
The players were among six members of Iran's team who took part in a World Cup qualifier last week and stunned spectators by wearing green wristbands, showing their support for Iran's reformist camp led by Mir Hossein Mousavi.
| Iran Unrest |
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| Iranian footballers show support for Mousavi / Dudi Cohen |
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World Cup qualifier in South Korea turns into anti-government protest on part of Islamic republic's national team players, who wear green wristbands to show their support for defeated presidential candidate |
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According to the Iranian report Tuesday, four players, including superstar Ali Karimi, have been forced off the national team. The decision made in respect to the two other players who wore the wristband is unclear at this time.
Karimi himself was interviewed by Iranian news agency ISNA, but refrained from addressing the affair. However, he did apologize to the Iranian people for the disappointing draw against South Korea, which prevented Iran from qualifying to the World Cup tournament in 2010.
Iranian authorities are believed to have ordered Karimi and other soccer players to refrain from addressing their protest move in media interviews.
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