Tehran: Iranian former football star Ali Daei said on Monday that he refused an invitation to attend the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in solidarity with Iranians who died during the Mahsa Amini protests.
The 53-year-old former player wrote to his 10.8 million Instagram followers late on Monday that he had turned down an invitation from FIFA and the Qatar Football Association to travel with his wife and daughters “in these days when most of us are not feeling well”.
“I rejected the official invitation of FIFA and Qatar Football Federation to attend the World Cup with my wife and daughters,” he wrote on Instagram.
“I prefer to be next to you in my homeland and express my sympathy with all the families who lost loved ones over these days,” added Daei.
Former Dutch international Clarence Seedorf praised Daei’s decision not to go to Qatar.
“You are a real spiritual leader for your people my friend,” said Seedorf said in a comment on Daei’s post on Monday.
“I admire you courage, kindness and leadership. Peace is what I wish can be reached asap. Much love you and family and all the brothers and Sisters in Iran.”
Daei has been a vocal supporter of the protests across Iran, which were sparked when 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, died on September 16 after being arrested by Iran’s morality police.
“Instead of repression, violence and arresting the Iranian people, solve their problems,” Daei wrote in another Instagram post in September.
Protests have erupted in Iran since September 16, 2022, following the death of Mahsa Amini, 3 days after she was arrested by the morality police for not complying with the strict rules of dress in the Islamic Republic.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (Hrana), 348 people were killed in the recent protests, including 52 minors. The agency said that it also witnessed the killing of 40 security personnel, in addition to the arrest of 15,915 people.
