Iran’s national team head coach Amir Ghalenoei has once again criticized the treatment of his squad at this World Cup, describing it as unethical and expressing hope that it does not set a precedent.
Due to political tensions between the United States and Iran, the Iranian team has faced strict restrictions imposed by the US government. This forced them to relocate their training camp at the last minute from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, and limited the amount of time they could spend in the US before and after their matches.
According to Ghalenoei, the Iranian squad arrived in the US less than 18 hours before their match against Belgium on Sunday, June 21, which was even less time than before their opening game. Consequently, their training sessions had to be cut in half.
“Even if we spent billions of dollars, it wouldn’t restore justice for our people. It only shows that we are an oppressed nation,” Ghalenoei said during a press conference.
Ghalenoei also revealed that he was informed Iran could travel earlier for their final group stage match. That game, against Egypt, will take place in Seattle, which is farther away than Los Angeles, where Iran played their first two matches.
“It’s just a shame that we weren’t allowed to arrive earlier for the first two games,” Ghalenoei added. “They deprived us of all those opportunities.”
Related Stories
