![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/iran-authorities-threaten-to-deal-with-beach-footballers-over-hair-cutting-protest-gesture/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/TELEMMGLPICT000315431088_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqFZ2mKB99NyfWHs4BvtAqLh_k7ZsagzP-7JFb_VvIr2o.jpeg&description=And as the football World Cup approaches, there have even been calls for Fifa to ban Iran from competing in Qatar. Jalal Talebi, the former Iran coach who led the team to a victory over the United States during the 1998 World Cup, told The New York Times that now is "not the time" to participate in the competition. He suggested that he may decline to commentate on the matches. One Iran national player who has risked his position to support protests is Sardar Azmoun. During a training camp in Austria in September, the 27-year-old forward said in an Instagram story that he was risking his place at the World Cup by speaking about the protests. 'That is worth sacrificing for one strand of Iranian women's hair,' he wrote. 'Shame on you who kill people so easily. Long live Iranian women.' He claimed that the team had been ordered not to comment on the death of Amini and subsequent protests, before later apologising for his comments. "I have to apologise to the players of the national team, because my hasty action caused my dear friends to be annoyed, and some players of the national team were insulted by users, which is not fair in any way,' he said. 'The mistake was mine." Other Iranian competitors to have sparked controversy since the death of Amini include Iranian sport climber Elnaz Rekabi, who appeared at a contest in South Korea last month without a headscarf in an act interpreted as a gesture of protesters demonstrating against mandatory hijab laws. Amid claims she had been arrested, Ms Rekabi later insisted she had not meant the gesture as a protest and apologised - which some commentators speculated may have been coerced by Iranian authorities. On Tuesday, Iran's judiciary announced it had already handed out more than 1,000 convictions for 'rioting' since the death of Amini. Rights groups have warned that protesters may face the death penalty if convicted of the charge 'war against God'.){kind=link}
Players showing solidarity with anti-government activists could face punishment after arriving back in Tehran
Iranian authorities have threatened to “deal with” the country’s beach football team after they mimicked cutting their hair in solidarity with anti-government protesters.
Families, fans and media were prevented from meeting the team after the players arrived home in Tehran from a competition in Dubai. Media outlets outside Iran reported that the players had been arrested by security forces.
There was no immediate comment from the Iranian government, but Iran’s Football Federation announced on Monday that it would take action against players that contravened Fifa rules against “political behaviour”.
The national team won the Emirates International Beach Soccer Tournament 2-1 against Brazil on Sunday. However, Iranian players were filmed remaining silent when their national anthem was played during their semi-final.