Football in Hot Water

Possible boycott of 2011 AFC Asian football cup in Qatar

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Football in Hot Water
by Mohammad Ala
03-Dec-2010
 

The 2011 AFC Asian Football Cup will be hosted by Qatar in January 2011. It is possible that sports officials there will refer to the Persian Gulf by another name. If this occurs, Iranian athletes, administrators, and football fans should boycott the event.

The use of a name other than Persian Gulf occurred at the 2010 Asian games by the Chinese this past month. Many Iranians were surprised and dismayed by this action, but it should not be surprising that China and Western countries would place their economic self-interest in business relationships with Arab countries above any concerns about historical accuracy.

Some observers of international affairs have noted that there are financial incentives for Western countries and China to use another term instead of the Persian Gulf. However, this is not a situation where there can be a choice: only Persian Gulf is accurate. To call it anything else is a betrayal of the heritage of millions of Iranians.

When an organization and/or country intentionally use an incorrect name, its integrity comes into question. Perhaps the current wave of USA anti-Iran sanctions has encouraged some organizations and countries to compromise accuracy and respect for international law. If so, these organizations and countries must be held accountable for their use of anything other than the proper name.

The historical record cannot be altered; attempts to change history is dishonest and results in profound injustice for those whose history has been distorted. People make history, but they cannot change history. "Persian Gulf" reflects Persian contributions to the whole world and the sacrifices Persians made to keep the gulf open for the benefit of all who wished to travel on it.

Using "A. Gulf" or "The Gulf" instead of "Persian Gulf" may appear humorous similar to the renaming of French fries to Freedom fries after France failed to support the American and British invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. We have seen how attempts to promote political points of view in the international community were mocked when the United States and British officers used the wrong term instead of Persian Gulf.

Regardless of the reasons for the mistake, it is in the best interest of international community to use the correct term of Persian Gulf. In the end, it is immaterial what is the reason for the incorrect usage; the important thing is to emphasize that the international mass media must be committed to objectivity and honesty.

Although I have been invited to attend the Asian Football games in Qatar, I will not travel to Qatar because I suspect it will not use the proper term. Looking over at the table of participating countries, I contacted the Syrian and Uzbekistan Football Associations. Syria has received a great deal of financial support from Iran, but it indicated that it will participate in the Asian games. However, Uzbekistan Football Associations indicated that it stands with Iran. If a term other than Persian Gulf is used, and if Iran walks out, so will Uzbekistan.

"Persian Gulf" reflects Persian contributions to the whole world and the sacrifices Persians made to keep the gulf open so that other nations could benefit from it. Countries such as Tajikistan and Uzbekistan should join Iran in protecting their mutual heritage. People of these countries have lived for thousands of years together. They have faced many enemies and difficulties, while still maintaining their unique identities. Attacks from Greeks and Arabs among others, have harmed these nations, yet they have survived and produced some of the best artists, poets, and scientists in the world. We will not accept destruction of our heritage. Iran, Uzbekistan, and others must boycott the AFC Asian Cup games in Qatar if any name other than Persian Gulf is used.

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more from Mohammad Ala
 
asadabad

harsh but true

by asadabad on

Nobody will miss or care if Iran doesn't participate in the games. You are either with or against globalization.  If you choose to go against it, then prepared to be steamrolled.

It's sad that iranians focus so much attention on things like this.  In reality, attention should be focused on reducing unemployment and reforming Irans government.


kancncnish

Interesting post and thanks

by kancncnish on

Interesting post and thanks for sharing. Some things in here I have not thought about before.Thanks for making such a cool post which is really very well written.will be referring a lot of friends about this.Keep blogging.
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muscle-defender

Boycott Arabian Gulf Soccer Games

by muscle-defender on

.


Virgin Goth

@@@

by Virgin Goth on

Hi Puck

Tnx 

:D

Virgin G.

 


Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

Spatima

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on

 

First of all you are right. There are many fine nationalist leftist Iranians.

But Iranian left has a strange history. Due to Soviet influence many of its leaders and members in the past got confused. On one hand they have many fine ideals. I am right of center and still support things such as:

  • Social justice
  • Subsidies for basic necessities.
  • A chance for all people to have a decent life
  • Free Health care
  • Free Education
  • Jobs

However the Soviet influence was very anti-Nationalistic. They wanted to break Iran up. Therefore they pooh-pooh ed Iranian culture. The Soviets ridiculed our heritage. The "new" left needs to grab the good ideas and couple it with nationalism. That is a recipe for a united front with rightists like myself as well as Monarchists. Once we put nation first we are not that far from one another. Thankfully as you say many leftists are good nationalist so we are already half way there.


Puck

@@@

by Puck on

Nice link, Virgie.

My heart is true as steel.


Virgin Goth

&&&

by Virgin Goth on

Hi

my dad iz hipo 2

Virgin G.


spatima

Just because comrade is uneducated it doesnt mean all leftists..

by spatima on

Just because comrade is an uneducated middle aged man it doesnt mean all leftists are like that. I think he is just trying to address his own inferiority complex by identifying with what is so widely regarded as Arab chauvinism and anti-persian racism. Nonetheless,a side from my attempt to educate this lost soul here, let us be fair and recognize that there have been a good number of leftist historians in Iran's academic tradition.So let us not undermine their work (particularly in the field of social history) because of the douche here. There are a good portion of Iranian leftist who INFACT support Iran's cultural integrity. So his rant really is worthless. The way i look at it, individuals like him are totally irrelevant to the political landescape, simply because of their idiotic standing on issues like this.

His take on the issue is really equivalent of this: I want whats best for Iran but I dont really care if the country is called Arabistan and if the people there are forced to speak Japanese.

In this sense, he is really isolating himself from the public at large and dismissing any credibility or value his overall view might have. So dont sweat it! i always dismiss propagandaist and dont mix them with proper leftists (No i am not one, but have had a courtesy to meet few smart ones, in the same way I have had the courtesy to meet smart monarchists, republicans and so on...)

 

Cheers

 

In hope of a Free, Independent, Democratic and Secular Iran


SamSamIIII

Comrade khan your hypocracy is mind boggling

by SamSamIIII on

 

 "he started his absurd  PR campaign around that piece of rock, the so-called Cyrus cylinder"

You on another thread wrote;

"The geographical integrity of my country Iran supercedes everything..." 

So to you worshiping a piece of land is okay(so much for internationalism) and even supercedes the right of her citizens but here you go degrading the heritage & founder of the same state as a piece of rock and prefer Arabian gulf to Persian gulf. My friend being tongue in cheek is one thing but being tongue in cheek with a diploma is bliss. Stop the race card dude its insulting its not about race.

 

cheers!!!

 

Path of Kiaan Resurrection of True Iran Hoisting Drafshe Kaviaan //iranianidentity.blogspot.com //www.youtube.com/user/samsamsia


David ET

از ماست که بر ماست

David ET


یک زمان اصلا کسی‌ قطر رو آدم حساب نمیکرد، و حالا حتی جام جهانی‌ فوتبال هم در قطر خواهد بود، و ما را کسی‌ حساب نمی‌کنه.

 به قول گاندی : اسارت و بندگی مردم به خودشان و به اندازه ی تحمل رنج و قبول فداکاری ایشان بستگی دارد.

راستشو بخواهید ، این رژیم هم از ماست که بر ماست. 

 


comrade

I dare to pfffttt

by comrade on

It must be either a yucky subject or sticky one which has not generated so many comments. I go for the latter.

Since I think there are only two races in the world: The Haves, and the Have-nots, and since I  see nothing inherently bad, good, wrong, or right in being an Arab, an Apache, or an Eskimo then I have no objection to whoever calling that body of water whatever she likes.

I can start writing here  about A.N's true intentions when he started his absurd  PR campaign around that piece of rock, the so-called Cyrus cylinder or keep preaching you about the natural incompatibility of IRI's doctrine with national interests of Iran. But I don't.

Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything.

 


Red Wine

فقط ایران

Red Wine


فوتبال را نباید با سیاست مخلوط کرد. خشم فیفا را نباید برانگیخت،جنگ میخواهید ؟ پس به مانند آنها بجنگید و رفتار کنید،مثل آنها تبلیغ غیر واقع کنید و ضدّ حمله زنید!


MRX1

As if

by MRX1 on

any body in Asia or for that matter Arab world cares! don't participate for all they care, life goes on.  some of us still inherit the illusion of importance and greatness (A legacy that was left from shah of Iran, god bless his soul) and think the world revolves around us. Well you know what, no body cares about us even if mullah's do obtain a nuclear bomb, so get over it.We have lost so much in the past thirty years and the only thing this people seem to care is the name for this body of water.....


zuruz

Persian Gulf

by zuruz on

Persians/Iranians will never put up with any BS and such a stupidity of Arabs around the Persian Gulf region and Arabs already know that. First of all Iran's regime should rename the streets of all the Arab embassies in Tehran and all over Iran to the Persian Gulf streets for reactions to UAE and other little Arab nations calling the street in front of Iranian embassies the forged term of a.r.a.b.i.a.n gulf streets for example; you can see these stupidity of Arabs in Emarate and other Arab capitals instead of the ancient and legal name of the Persian Gulf. Arabs always have been enemies of Iran/Persia and Iranians/Persians. Arabs bribe and buy off many world leaders, officials, media, businesses and publications around the world and push them to use forged and illegal term for the Persian Gulf which is Iran/Persia identity and hearts and pay them to use illegal terms like Arabic gulf or simply gulf. Arabs kiss many world leaders, officials a$$es and become their slaves for ever as long as they call the Persian Gulf illegal names and protect their corrupt, unpopular regimes from their own people as well. These Arabs who are British, American, French, even Israel and other world powers colonies and don't mind to live under any foreign flags as long as get good protection. Arabs are taking advantage of the Iran's unpopular and weak regime and become so bullies around their masters and forged the historical name of the Persian Gulf. LONG LIVE PERSIAN GULF