Mehdi Taj: Those responsible for bad behavior against the Afghan team will be dealt with / The decision of the Qom Football Board is personal and will be canceled

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Sports Service: Mehdi Taj, head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation, in response to the events surrounding the final of the Asian Youth Games and the bad behavior of some members of the Iranian U-17 futsal team against the Afghan team, announced that disciplinary action will be taken against these individuals.

 

He emphasized that violent and unsportsmanlike behavior in international arenas is unacceptable and the Iranian Football Federation will deal seriously with such cases.

 

Taj also reacted to the decision of the Qom Provincial Football Board to ban the presence of Afghan teams and players residing in the province, calling it “illegal” and a “personal decision.” He added that this decision will be canceled and that the presence of Afghan athletes is permitted within the framework of the country’s laws.

 

Earlier, Ali Akbar Zarei, Director General of Foreign Nationals and Refugees of the Qom Governorate, reacted to this decision in an interview with a Sports Pulse reporter and said: “This decision is never the right decision, because Afghan nationals residing in Qom are present in all disciplines and leagues, and preventing them from participating in football and futsal is a completely personal decision.”

 

Zarei criticized the irrationality of this decision and added: “If a Brazilian player comes to Qom, will the gentlemen still not allow him to participate? Such a view is neither consistent with the country’s laws nor with the spirit of sports.”

 

Referring to the resolution of the Iranian Football Federation last year, he said: "Provincial boards must make decisions within the framework of the federation's policies. A decision that contradicts the federation's resolution and the slogan "football for all" is invalid and must be reviewed." It is worth mentioning that a few days ago, the Qom Football Board, in a sudden decision that directly contradicts the resolution of the Iranian Football Federation last year, banned the activities of foreign players and coaches in football and futsal in this province.