Explained why Ukraine wants FIFA to ban Iran from competing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will kick off on November 21st in Qatar, and England’s group opponents, Iran may be barred from competing in the prestigious competition. Ukraine has recently proposed to FIFA that Iran be prohibited from taking part in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Ukraine wants Iran barred from the event owing to the possibility of Iran supporting Russia and supplying them with weapons against Ukrainians.
Explained Why Is Ukraine Asking FIFA To Ban Iran Football Team From The 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar
🚨 FIFA are under pressure to hand Iran's World Cup place to Ukraine – 'This will be a fair decision' pic.twitter.com/ymVddHkUsK
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) October 24, 2022
In February 2022 Ukraine was invaded by Russia and Ukraine’s national team reached the final stage of the UEFA qualifications playoffs before losing to Wales in June. Following the invasion, FIFA and UEFA subsequently banned Russia from taking part in international football.
Iran’s links to Russia’s military pushed Ukraine to request FIFA to exclude Iran from the 2022 World Cup
The executive committee of the Ukrainian Football Association stated on Monday that it believed Iran was providing Russia with weaponry and violating FIFA rules that commit to upholding human rights and anti-discrimination policies.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said earlier this month that Iranian-made “kamikaze” suicide drones and missiles were “attacking all of Ukraine.” Iran has denied this assertion. In response to Russia using Iranian drones to strike Ukraine, the UK government and the EU placed sanctions on three Iranian generals and an arms company. According to the FA of Ukraine, the appeal was based on “chronic human rights violations in Iran, which may contradict the principles and standards of the FIFA code.”
Will Ukraine replace Iran in the FIFA World Cup in 2022 if the latter is thrown out?
A few days ago, Sergei Palkin, the CEO of Shaktar Donetsk, demanded that Fifa replace Iran with Ukraine in the World Cup and that the entire international community immediately forbid Iran’s national team from competing in the tournament due to Iran’s direct involvement in terrorist attacks against Ukrainians. Despite Ukraine accusing Iran of breaking human rights laws, FIFA has not yet made a judgement about Ukraine’s complaint, therefore it is still not certain if Iran will be banned from the World Cup or not.