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Canada's national soccer team recently earned a place in the World Cup for the first time in thirty years. All Canadians celebrated this accomplishment, but our excitement quickly dissipated. Many Canadians are deeply disappointed that Canada's soccer federation has invited Iran and will host them in June 2022 for friendly matches. Contrary to Canada, the military and security forces of the Iranian regime control and regulate all sports in Iran (1). Nearly all sports clubs and their teams in Iran are managed by individuals with strong ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In May 2019, the former Iranian football star, Ali Daei was sacked from his job as manager for the Saipa football club when he revealed that the real name of the club's head is Ghafour Darjazi; the previous head of security at the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting and responsible for the assassination of one of the Iranian dissidents in 1989 (2). There is overwhelming evidence that whenever any Iranian national sports team travels abroad, agents of the military and security forces accompany the team (3). Canada Soccer's invitation opens our borders to a ruthless military organization, the IRGC, whose members will accompany the Iranian team. Contrary to basic human rights and Canadian values, women are forbidden from attending sports stadiums in Iran. If they try, pepper sprays and assault await them, that is if they are lucky and escape arrests (4). In September 2019, Sahar Khodayari known as "The Blue Girl", was sentenced to six months in prison by the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran for watching a football match in the stadium disguised as a man. After leaving court, she committed suicide and died of her injuries. For all people fighting for women's rights worldwide, especially Iranian women and girls, the Canada Soccer invitation to play Iran in a friendly match has caused great frustration. It is worth noting that FIFA recently suspended Russia from all soccer competitions, including the World Cup. Iran's government has been unanimously condemned for widespread human rights abuses and violations on international platforms like the United Nations, just as Russia has been. The government of Iran has always used sports for political purposes and its propaganda to normalize its heinous crimes (5), this time specifically regarding the dreadful downing of Flight PS752 where 55 Canadians and 30 permanent residents lost their lives with Russian missiles fired by the IRGC of the government of Iran against PS752. All Canadians who have suffered through the downing of Flight 752 are shocked by the news of the friendly match between Canada and Iran on June 5th in Vancouver. The importance of friendly matches cannot be denied, but there are many other national teams that Canada's soccer federation can choose from for friendly matches. We, as Canadian citizens and permanent residents, therefore urge the House of Commons to utilize any mechanisms available to cancel the game or to mandate IRCC not to issue visas to the Iranian team. (1) https://iranwire.com/en/features/66652 (2) https://iranwire.com/en/features/66006 (3) https://iranwire.com/fa/features/103876 (4) https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/iranian-women-pepper-sprayed-at-world-cup-qualifier-0pm5qrl65 (5) https://www.mei.edu/publications/political-football-how-iranian-government-intervenes-sports
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