Iranian football team captain slams FIFA over ‘unfair’ competition, says ‘it’s disaster World Cup’

The captain of the Iranian National Football Team has criticized FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, over their handling of football’s biggest tournament, the World Cup, calling the treatment his team has been subjected to “unfair.”

“It’s a disaster World Cup; a disaster,” Mehdi Taremi told reporters after a third group stage draw with Egypt early Saturday, lamenting that FIFA has been unable to solve the problems they have faced since the start of the tournament on June 11.

“They (FIFA) have to solve every problem here, but unfortunately, they couldn’t solve since the beginning.”

Taremi added: “Mr. Infantino came to our changing room after first game and he said, ‘it’s just the beginning,’ but it’s group stage finishes tomorrow. And we don’t have our logistic people here.

“They don’t have a visa.”

Many of the Iranian team’s critical support staff were denied visas, while teams from other countries have had their full support staff on hand.

Taremi voiced his unhappiness about how after the match against Egypt, he and his teammates had to leave the Pacific Northwest US city of Seattle for Tijuana, Mexico, an extra journey of several hours other teams have not had to take.

The squad had originally planned to base itself during the tournament in Tucson, in the US Southwestern state of Arizona, but relocated to Mexico in late May as the tensions between the US and Iran continued in the Middle East.

The conflict erupted on Feb. 28 after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, triggering a series of retaliatory attacks by Tehran.

The Iran squad and its staff have repeatedly said that they have faced difficulties entering and exiting the United States for matches.

“We love (the) people of Mexico. We love Tijuana. But as professional players, professional competition, it’s not right,” said Tarem.

The extra hours traveling back and forth that Iran’s team is subjected to-unlike other teams-leaves then without time to rest, “without recovery, without nothing, it’s not fair,” he said.