Iran continues its attempts to undermine Israeli sports. The chairman of the Iranian Football Association, Mehdi Taj, sent a letter to FIFA demanding that Israel be expelled, citing accusations of “murdering Iranian athletes.”
In his appeal to FIFA, Taj claimed that during Operation Rising Lion, Israel attacked the Iranian Football Association’s headquarters, the national team’s training camp, and killed a referee who “became a martyr.” He further alleged 30 Iranian soccer players were injured during the strikes and accused Israel of “systematically violating every possible law, murdering our commanders, children and athletes in their sleep by bombing residential neighborhoods and areas populated by civilians.”
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Additionally, Taj lashed out at the United States and questioned its ability to host the upcoming World Cup on its soil next summer.
“When one considers the hostile approach the U.S. displays toward Iran, it’s hard to be optimistic about how they’ll conduct themselves during the 2026 World Cup. They’re unpredictable, and it’s entirely possible they won’t allow our team members to enter the country,” he said.
About a month ago, Iran’s Minister of Sports appealed to the International Olympic Committee, demanding action against Israel over what he called “the Zionist entity’s crimes and the murders of Iranian athletes.”
“I am saddened and concerned by the blatant military crimes committed by the Zionist entity against Iran,” wrote Minister Ahmad Donyamali in his letter. “These vile acts are a violation of human rights and, unfortunately, have led to the deaths of innocent people, including several athletes and civilians in our country.”
Donyamali’s appeal followed a report by IranWire, an independent English and Persian news site, which revealed that the Iranian Olympic Committee had instructed sports federations to declare those killed in Israeli strikes as “athletes,” due to “the international significance and propaganda value of professional athletes killed in military conflicts.”