Iranian Soccer Team Penalized Over IRGC Commander Controversy

Iran's Sepahan has been penalized with a 3-0 loss as a result of its displaying a bust of IRGC commander Qassem Soleimani for a match against Saudi's Al Ittihad.

The match, which was scheduled to take place last month, took an unexpected turn when the Saudi team abruptly left the field just before kickoff in protest at the display of the former IRGC Quds Force Commander on the sidelines. The team was also fined $200,000 for the incident that left the team shamed on the global stage.

Qassem Soleimani, responsible for Iran's proxy forces in the region, was killed in a US drone strike near Baghdad International Airport in 2020. Then-President Donald Trump claimed that the military commander had been actively planning attacks on American diplomats, service members, and administration officials in the region.

Ali Karimi, a former soccer legend and an outspoken critic of the regime said that even after his death, Soleimani inflicts costs on the Iranian people.

In a further blow to Sepahan, the team was also banned from hosting its next three Asian Champions League matches at home.