The world union of professional footballers, FIFPRO, has said it is "shocked and sickened" by the news that Iranian footballer Amir Nasr-Azadani has been sentenced to death, in connection with the protests which have been occurring in Iran for the past three months.
Nasr-Azadani was arrested in the city of Isfahan three days after Tasnim news agency, affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), reported on November 17 that Colonel Esmaeil Cheraghi had been killed during nationwide protests.
His alleged actions are deemed a capital crime in Iran, something FIFPRO has called for to be revoked.
A statement read: "FIFPRO is shocked and sickened by reports that professional footballer Amir Nasr-Azadani faces execution in Iran after campaigning for women’s rights and basic freedom in his country.
"We stand in solidarity with Amir and call for the immediate removal of his punishment."
FIFPRO is shocked and sickened by reports that professional footballer Amir Nasr-Azadani faces execution in Iran after campaigning for women’s rights and basic freedom in his country. We stand in solidarity with Amir and call for the immediate removal of his punishment. pic.twitter.com/vPuylCS2phDecember 12, 2022
The news of Nasr-Azadani's impending execution comes after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died while in the custody of the Guidance Patrol, commonly referred to as the 'morality police,' for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly.
Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, women are required by law to wear the hijab at all times.
However, since Amini's death, Iranian women have been removing their hijabs in public in protest against the government, with powerful images of these women witnessed defying security forces across the country.
Nasr-Azadani has been playing professionally in Iran's top flight since 2015. He most notably played under former Wales manager John Toshack at Tractor SC, but is currently contracted to FC Iranjavan Bushehr.
The Iranian national football team played at World Cup 2022, and were subsequently knocked out in the group stages. However, before their opening game against England on Monday 21 November, the Iranian players refused to sing their national anthem, in solidarity with those protesting in their country.
They sung the national anthem in their games against Wales and the USA, though, after a politician said they could face reprisals because the country “will never allow anyone to insult our anthem”.
