Iraqi fans protest FIFA decision over Erbil attack

Rudaw

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) issued a letter to the Iraqi Football Association (IFA) on Wednesday, informing them that the national football team is once again prohibited from holding matches at home, citing Sunday’s Erbil attack as their logic, prompting public outcry from avid football fans.

Iraqi football fans were ecstatic when FIFA announced in late February that the national team would be permitted to host their Qatar World Cup 2022 qualifier match against the UAE national team on March 24 in Baghdad. The decision, which would have marked Iraq’s first official international match in the capital in three decades, was retracted by FIFA on Wednesday, as they decided that it should take place at a “neutral venue.”

The letter from FIFA claimed that the decision came as the result of “a reassessment of the safety and security situation in Iraq,” referring to the recent missile attack in Erbil. Oddly, the letter mistakenly refers to the incident as “multiple rocket attacks.”

Under the pretext of targeting an Israeli base, Iran fired a dozen ballistic missiles at around 1:00 am on Sunday morning, hitting several targets on the outskirts of Erbil. Kurdish authorities confirmed that two civilians suffered minor injuries as a result. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has repeatedly denied any form of Israeli presence.

The decision has sparked a massive outrage from Iraqi football fans, who showed up to support the national team during their training session on Wednesday, chanting the name of their country at the top of their lungs and requesting that FIFA retract its decision.

FIFA’s ban excludes non-competitive matches, as the national team is expected to face the Zambia National team in a friendly match on Friday in Baghdad’s al-Madina International Stadium. Aljoša Asanović, manager of the Zambian team, expressed his astonishment towards FIFA’s decision while preparing for the upcoming match in Baghdad. “We found the situation to be perfect, and the streets of the capital are filled with security and peace,” also adding that “Iraq deserves to play at its own stadiums.”

The suggested “neutral venue” is yet to be announced by FIFA, but the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has suggested that the match be held in one of the stadiums in Saudi Arabia.

By Chenar Chalak