Iran players support anti-Ahmadinejad protests

Forget the recession-proof world of obscene transfer deals - the 80 squillions that took the volatile hyena Ronaldo to the filthy merengues from the theatre of cream par example - by far the most important soccer gesture took place last night when half the Iran team, including captain Mehdi Mahdavikia, wore green armbands in support of opposition candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi, as efforts continue to get rid of Ahmadinejad after a rather dodgy election count.

My YouTube ain't great, but you should be able to see some of them sporting the bands in the first half coverage - perhaps a word came from Tehran in the break as they took them off for the second. The game in Seoul ended 1-1 but Iran were eliminated due to other results in their group.


Iranian fans were also showing their support for the uprising, according to AP (including photo gallery): 'Fans from Iran also showed their support for the demonstrations at home by staging a protest outside the stadium. They unfurled a banner that read "Go to Hell Dictator," and chanted "Compatriots, we will be with you to the end with the same heart. During the match, protesters waved the banner, held up green paper signs reading "Where is my vote?" and waved Iran's national flags emblazoned with the plea "Free Iran."' (AFP story and pix)

Let's get the establishment stooge hidden like his favourite imam.

Ironically, another old axis member, North Korea, took Iran's place in the world cup after drawing with Saudi Arabia.