The Minister of Youth and Sport of the Iranian government , Mr. Mahmoud Goudarzi announced that Iranian team playing against Saudi teams in a neutral country as demanded by the Saudi government and approved by AFC, is out of question. This statement , by the highest authority in sport in the Iranian government will create an unenviable situation for the Asian Federation.
Goudarzi criticized the AFC for bowing to the Saudi political pressure. In a short statement to the press said “Everyone knows by now that politics must not interfere with sports. Football governing bodies have been particularly very strict in this matter. FIFA has sanctioned and suspended many countries for violating the political interference rules . AFC has very obviously ignored the rules that they have created themselves by bowing to political pressure from the Saudis. We will not play in any other country but ours, We have no issues with playing in Saudi Arabia either.”
This short statement will put the AFC in a real dilemma. The Asian Federation has not provided any solid grounds for accepting the Saudi demands. In its feeble statement , it reasoned that the break in relationship between the two countries was behind such decision!!!. There is no secret that such demand by the Oil Rich Arab country is nothing to do with the security or safety of the players as claimed by their FA but very much to do with the political situation between the two countries. By accepting the Saudi demands , AFC has registered a precedent that it will regret in future and could open a floodgate of such requests in Asia in the future.
Mr Goudarzi like most of other Iranian officials have emphasized that Iran will take legal action against AFC and will seek compensations as the result of this ruling.
Three Iranian clubs are involved in this edition of the AFC Champions League. Sepahan, Zob Ahan (Esfahan)and Tractorsazi (Tabriz). ALl stand a good chance of qualifying to the next round after half of tha matches have been played. Tractorsazi is leading its group C with 6 points from 3 matches., Zob Ahan is second in the Group B with 5 points (same points as Al Nasr of KSA on top with better goal difference) , and Finally Sepahan on third in group A with 3 points.