AUTHORITIES KEEP AN UNEASY SILENCE OVER SUNDAY NIGHT RIOTS
PARIS 22 Oct. (IPS) Twenty four hours after the surprise Iranian defeat 1 to 3 to Bahrain in the 2002 World Cup Qualifier and as the authorities keep silence of the Sunday night riots, many Iranian would and could not swallow the humiliating event, blaming it on the authorities "coercion" over Iranian players and their Croatian coach, Miroslav Blasevic.
The reason for this pressure, according to Iranians both inside and outside the country, is simple: As the clerical authorities have no national feeling or pride, because Islam is against nationalism, they feared the Iranian victory over Bahrain would trigger nationwide demonstrations difficult to control, as it happened on 12 October after the victory of Iran over Iraq.
Though all the political analysts and sports commentators told Iran Press Service that they do not believe the rumours, yet they agreed that in case it prove true, this would mark a definitive end in relations between the Iranian people, mostly the young, with the clerical rulers.
Wild and often violent demonstrations broke out in Tehran and several major Iranian cities immediately after the end of the game, with thousands of demonstrators chanting Iranian national songs, carrying strong slogans against the Islamic regime and its leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameneh’i, smashing police cars and public building windows, attacking banks and setting fire on buses.
Police admitted the arrest of some 700 football demonstrators, labelled as "hooligans" in Tehran for causing disturbances in the streets and public places.
A Police officer told the official news agency IRNA that "the hooligans" (protesters) attacked 32 banks and the vehicles of passers-by as well as those of the police.
"Rioters attacked five automobiles of passers-by and destroyed bus ticket selling kiosks, public telephones and traffic signs in the streets", he said, adding that angry football fans had gathered in 54 main squares chanting slogans against the officials.
Eyewitnesses told IPS that as the rumours that Iran had lost to Bahrain on "political machinations" and to the "clerical authorities threats to the Iranian players against winning", demonstrations quickly turned political, people, mostly the young ones, protesting against the leaders of the Islamic republic and their policies, chanting "death to the mullahs"; "Iran will not become Palestine" or "Tanks, Canons and Bullets/ Akhound must be killed" and "Ali Pinochet/ Iran will not become Palestine", in reference to the Iranian "more Catholic than the Pope" policy concerning the Palestinian cause.
"The people’s anger was apparently triggered by claims that the ruling clerics had instructed the players to lose the game, in order to avoid repeat scenes of clashes 10 days ago after Iran beat Iraq", one respected sports analyst said.
After two days of silence, both the authorities and the censored press confirmed the 12 October riots that had led to more than 400 arrests.
"Visibly, the Iranian players were demoralised. They were nervous and they performed poorly. But this does not mean that the Bahrainis were better", observed Mr. Iraj Adibzadeh, a sports commentator for the Persian service of Radio France Internationale.
He also noted that the "very poor work" of the referee who failed to sanction many faults by Bahraini players.
He said he does not believe rumours of the authorities coercion on the players, but the fact is that the Coach had complained of "heavy stress" and "pressures" hours before the start of the match, saying that once the game over, he would leave Iran.
He also warned against Iranians having lodged complaint with the International Football Federation that some Bahraini players were ineligible, saying that such pretexts to justify a defeat was "counterproductive".
Iranian soccer chief Mohsen Safa’i Farahani complained to FIFA that certain Bahrain players were ineligible in four second round qualifying matches due to yellow cards received in the first round, but FIFA acted quickly and told the Iranians that
all Bahrain players were eligible.
"FIFA checked the official documents pertaining to these matches of Group A and found that all Bahrain players engaged in these matches were eligible to compete".
All is not lost for Iran on the pitch, despite Sunday's disaster which saw them end the game with only nine men left on the pitch and coach Miroslav Blazevic ordered from the dug out by the referee as tempers became frayed.
The Iran team now faces a home and away play-off (Oct 25 and 31) against the United Arab Emirates, that finished runners-up in Group B.
The winner of that Asian play-off will then have to face the Republic of Ireland over two matches for a place in the finals to be held next summer in Japan and South Korea. ENDS FOOTBAL DEFEAT AFTERMATH 221001