GENEVA: Pushing back on US President Donald Trump’s comments, Iran’s national soccer team says “no one can exclude” it from playing in the men’s World Cup in the US.
Instead, a post on the team’s official Instagram account suggested maybe the US team should be excluded after Trump indicated that the host country couldn’t guarantee the safety of the Iranian players.
Trump wrote in a social media post on Thursday that the Iranian team was welcome at the World Cup despite the ongoing war with Iran but that “I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”
• Before the World Cup, Iranian soccer officials are due to attend FIFA’s annual congress on April 30 in Vancouver.
• The Iranian federation was unable to attend meetings in Atlanta last week to help teams prepare for the 48-nation tournament.
