By Midfielder
June 28th 2009 @ 3:39am
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The greatest display of courage and strength in sport
In all sports, strength of character and courage are talked of in glowing terms. The player going high for the mark in AFL, blind to what those around are doing, the one on one tackle in league and union, the strength to carry on after a heavy hit.
The other day six Iranian footballers wore green arm bands in protest against the Iranian election result – .
For this they will never play for their country again, moreover one can only speculate their fate. In a country in which democracy appears to be all but a word, how much courage did these six players show and what strength of mind must they have.
My hat is off to these six players and the team in general. When asked by a journalist at the Confederations Cup, one of the Iranian players said we are Shiite, Christian & Shunny coming together as one to play for our nation Iran.
For all that is wrong with FIFA, it does have some redeeming features, and one of these features is not to back down to governments.
Iran will more than likely get a ban until these players return.
Of all the great displays of courage I have ever seen, this is the greatest display of courage and strength of mind I have ever seen in sport.
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Kurt said | June 28th 2009 @ 7:21am | Report comment
Midfielder – good call, moral courage is much rarer and more precious than physical courage though in sports we tend to value the latter much more than the former. One hopes these players suffer no serious long term ramifications for their actions.
Other instances of moral courage in sport I can think of include the black power salute at the 68 Olympics, Jesse Owens’ achievements at the Berlin games in 1936 and Jackie Robinson breaking the colour line in major league baseball.
MVDave said | June 28th 2009 @ 7:40am | Report comment
Couldn’t agree more…well said Midfielder (and Kurt). Hope these guys aren’t punished any further in Iran.
Pippinu said | June 28th 2009 @ 8:42am | Report comment
Quite right.
Michael C said | June 28th 2009 @ 9:26am | Report comment
Midfielder -
it’s a good article,
it does however make one think of those who manage to blithely carry on as ‘professional’ athletes with scant regard for broader issues. Obviously over the journey there have been those only too willing – as a quick example (but far from isolated) – to play golf in Sun City wherein given the opportunity to make a moral or political statement instead chose to ‘opt out’ and feather their own nests instead.
And I guess, that helps put in context the actions such as those described by Midfielder – - it’s only too easy to ‘opt out’ as a globetrotting professional athlete.
btw – that actually reminds me, Greg Norman is visiting Marysville tomorrow. There’s a big fund raising day at the Commonwealth Golf Club today.
JohnB said | June 28th 2009 @ 9:42am | Report comment
Did wonder what your example from soccer was going to be, but this is certainly a very fair call. Flower and Olongo black armbands at the penultimate cricket world cup would be another contender.
Pippinu said | June 28th 2009 @ 11:14am | Report comment
Yeh, the Flower/Olongo situation was very similar.
Of course one of the most powerful political statements of all time was during the Mexico Olympics, although the individuals concerned were probably not risking their lives like these other cases.
Midfielder said | June 28th 2009 @ 3:11pm | Report comment
JohnB
Agree lower and Olongo … more over L saw John Sattler play a game after he broke his jaw in the opening minutes … that takes and mets all the necessary things needed for the strength and courage … However placing yourself at odds with your government and loosing a place in a national team … where among other things you may be spotted by European talent scouts and thus loss heaps of coin…
Had a chat after our game today who have the courage to stand there in defiance of a hard line government and put for economic future at risk as well… non of us believed we had that sorta of stuff…
Thanks for the support sometimes a statement like that guy in China that stood in front of the tank says more than thousands of actions…
mahony said | June 28th 2009 @ 9:24pm | Report comment
Great stuff Midfielder,
Those players play the global game with the global outlook it requires – and the game should respond ‘in kind’.
FIFA has more member states than the United Nations, and unlike the UN, FIFA has teeth – at least in terms of football. I hope they ban the Iran FA and take a stand for the players involved.
Australia spent a long time outside the FIFA family, and arguably it hurt our football long-term. The Iran FA won’t allow this – they will want to get to a World Cup as quickly as possible (they are out of South Africa if I recall correctly?) to promote their national identity. They have a lot to loose, so I hope they respond and reinstate the players immediately.
It truly is a wonderful game.
David V. said | June 28th 2009 @ 10:15pm | Report comment
Some of these Iranian players protesting also ply their trade abroad. Will it affect their careers overseas then?
Ali Karimi, however, returned home to play- and he remains one of the best the Middle East has ever produced.
GeneralAshnak said | June 29th 2009 @ 9:04am | Report comment
Bloody good call Midfielder – I have been following what has been happening in Iran with great interested, as well as outrage. I hope that the courage of these six men is an example to their countrymen back home, I also hope they survive it. FIFA should definately step in in their defence, I just hope they can.
Mr said | June 29th 2009 @ 11:22am | Report comment
FIFA allows black armbands to be worn, so green should not be an issue.
Tim Cahill wore a black armband for Everton immediately after the bushfires in Victoria earlier this year. Non of his team mates did. Should he be punished for acting unilaterally?
There is no precendent in FIFA to allow a ban of this sort.
Slippery Jim said | June 29th 2009 @ 11:22am | Report comment
I think this incident raises a broader issue of whether football is an appropriate place to make political statements, whether intentions are right or wrong.
I personally think football should transend politics, and these statements should be made using more appropriate and effective avenues.
FIFA statutes clearly prohibit government interference in football matters, including national federations. It would be hypocritical to condone the reverse; that is, football interference in government matters.
Slippery Jim said | June 29th 2009 @ 1:05pm | Report comment
Mr, the Iranian players were told to remove the wristbands at halftime because FIFA prohibits any political displays and because the bands were not part of their uniforms.
This is supported by FIFA’s laws of the game, which state under Law 4 – “The basic compulsory equipment must not have any political, religious or personal statements.The team of a player whose basic compulsory equipment has political, religious or personal slogans or statements will be sanctioned by the competition organiser or by FIFA.
This is in line with FIFA’s code of ethics which states under Article 5 – “In dealings with government institutions, national and international organisations, associations and groupings, officials shall, in addition to observing the basic rules of art. 3, remain politically neutral.”
Tom said | June 29th 2009 @ 1:20pm | Report comment
There’s a great book by a guy called Frederick Foer called ‘How Soccer Explains the World’ which contains an extensive chapter on the relationship between football and politics in Iran.
I highly recommend.
Tom said | June 29th 2009 @ 1:21pm | Report comment
pardon me, that should be Franklin Foer.
Midfielder said | June 29th 2009 @ 7:30pm | Report comment
SJ
While I agree with you last post … it does not take away from the bravery these guys showed… A mate of mine works in Egypt and told me it has had an impact and the players would have known it as well …