LONDON: Iraq’s Sports and Youth Minister Abdulhussein Abttan hopes that Wednesday’s friendly against Saudi Arabia boosts the country’s case for a total lifting of FIFA’s ban on it hosting competitive matches.
Iraq have not played full internationals on home turf ever since the first Gulf War in 1990.
The ban, covering all but local matches, stayed in place after the US-led invasion of 2003 that toppled Saddam Hussein. It was briefly lifted in 2012, but a power outage during an Iraq-Jordan match in the Iraqi Kurdish capital Irbil led FIFA to promptly to reinstate it.
In December Iraq declared victory over Daesh following a three-year battle, and football’s governing body finally relaxed the ban, allowing international friendlies at stadiums in Irbil, Basra and the shrine city of Karbala.
And with the visit of the Green Falcons to Basra, it is hoped the match will illustrate that the country can once again play host to top-level international teams.
“Politics is present in every domain, and Saudi Arabia has major political weight,” Abdulhussein Abttan said.
“I hope that this match will inspire other national teams to visit Iraq, which will help support our case for a total lifting of FIFA’s ban on matches in our stadiums,” he said, ahead of a decision the sport’s governing body is expected to take next month.
Iraq is also hosting a four-country tournament in March in Karbala, although Kuwait has pulled out.
Iraq have invited FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, to visit the country, a spokesman for the federation said, but no decision has yet been taken on whether the trip will go ahead.
While Iraq hope the match helps their aim of hosting top-level football again, for Saudi Arabia it is a stepping stone on their way to what they hope is a good World Cup campaign.
The Green Falcons are set to play in a series of high-profile friendlies as preparation for this summer’s showpiece in Russia. Following Wednsday’s clash again their Arab neighbors, Juan Antonio Pizzi’s men will face Ukraine, Belgium, Peru, Italy and Germany before their first Group A game against Russia in Moscow on June 14.
Iraq hoping Saudi Arabia friendly leads to more international games
Iraq hoping Saudi Arabia friendly leads to more international games
Bangladesh replaced by Scotland at T20 World Cup, reports say
- Bangladesh had asked the ICC to move their games to the tournament co-hosts Sri Lanka instead
- Scotland, the highest-ranked non-qualifier, are now set to take Bangladesh’s place in Group C
DUBAI: Bangladesh have been replaced by Scotland for next month’s Twenty20 World Cup after the South Asian side refused to travel to co-hosts India, media reports said on Saturday citing sources within the sport’s governing International Cricket Council.
The decision follows weeks of uncertainty, during which the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) repeatedly insisted it would not play its scheduled matches in India, citing safety concerns following soured political relations between the neighbors.
Bangladesh had asked the ICC to move their games to the tournament co-hosts Sri Lanka instead, but the governing body rejected the demand, dismissing any security threat to the team.
Scotland, the highest-ranked non-qualifier, are now set to take Bangladesh’s place in Group C, which features England, Italy, Nepal and West Indies, the BBC reported.
Reuters has contacted the ICC, BCB and Cricket Scotland for comment.
PROTESTS NEAR BANGLADESH HIGH COMMISSION
Last month, hundreds of people protested near Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi after Hindu factory worker Dipu Chandra Das was beaten and set on fire in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district by a crowd that accused him of making derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad.
A total of 12 people were arrested in connection with his death.
The incident worsened relations between India and its neighbor, with ties already strained after Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi following protests against her.
Political tensions have spilled into cricket.
Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from this year’s Indian Premier League despite signing with its Kolkata franchise. Bangladesh responded by banning IPL broadcasts in the country and demanding to play World Cup matches in Sri Lanka.
The standoff mirrors previous tensions in South Asian cricket.
For the Champions Trophy last year, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) stuck to its policy of not touring Pakistan because of the strained political ties between the bitter neighbors, who play each other only in ICC events.
Like for the 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan, a ‘hybrid model’ was agreed on under which India were allowed to play their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai to salvage the tournament.
Under the agreement running until 2027, Pakistan will play in a neutral venue for any ICC event, including the T20 World Cup where they are scheduled to play their matches in Sri Lanka.
The 20-team World Cup is set to begin on February 7.
