Fifa are ready to step in to the political firestorm in Iran and ban the national team from football until the Iranian football federation rescinds the life bans it has issued against four of its players.
Four Iranian footballers all of whom wore green armbands in their recent world cup qualifier against South Korea have apparently “retired” from football.
They include a 24 year old Hosein Ka’abi as well as Ali Karimi, 31, Mehdi Mahdavikia, 32 and Vahid Hashemian, 32.
Fifa does not allow political interference in football and have banned Iran before after claims of improper interference the Iranian regime.
Iran risks years of international isolation if football unless it backs down, it is however thought unlikely they will do and there are fears for the players safety after their heroic display of solidarity with the protesters.
