PARIS: Activists have called on football fans attending Iran’s matches at the World Cup starting later this month to chant the name of Mahsa Amini, whose death in custody sparked nationwide protests.
Iran has been rocked by eight weeks of protests since Amini’s death, after her arrest for an alleged breach of the country’s strict dress rules for women based on Islamic sharia law.
In spite of a bloody crackdown, the protests that initially saw women burn their hijab headscarves and cut their hair have evolved into a broader movement calling for the end of the Islamic republic.
Women’s rights campaigner Negin Shiraghaei called on spectators to sing out the 22-year-old Amini’s name in the 22nd minute of each game that Iran plays at the World Cup in Qatar.
“Join us to remind the world about what’s happening in Iran by shouting Mahsa’s name at minute 22 of football matches this World Cup,” said a post on her Twitter account.
Masih Alinejad, a New York-based activist originally from Iran who campaigns against the mandatory hijab, also appealed to World Cup fans to chant Amini’s name.
“Help us immortalize #MahsaAmini and our fight against this brutal regime. At the 22nd minute of each World Cup game, say #MahsaAmini,” she tweeted.
Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights says at least 304 people have been killed across Iran since protests broke out over Amini’s death on September 16.
The protests were fanned by fury over the restrictive dress rules for women, but have grown into a broad movement against the theocracy that has ruled Iran since the 1979 fall of the shah.
Iranian sports stars are among celebrities who have shown public support for the Amini protests, landing some of them in trouble with the authorities.
In late September, former Iranian international football player Hossein Maanahi was arrested for what state media said was his support for “riots” on his social media pages.
All but two players in Iran’s national football team refused to sing the country’s anthem before they played a friendly against Nicaragua in Tehran on Thursday evening, according to footage shared online.
At the end of September, the whole team remained dressed in black during the anthems rather than exposing Iran’s national uniform, in what was seen as a tribute to those killed in the protests.
The Islamic republic has sought to portray the protest movement as a plot hatched by the United States and its allies.
At the World Cup, which kicks off in Qatar November 20, Iran is scheduled to face England on November 21, Wales on November 25 and the United States on November 29.
Fans urged to chant Mahsa Amini name at Iran World Cup games
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Fans urged to chant Mahsa Amini name at Iran World Cup games
- Iran has been rocked by eight weeks of protests since Amini’s death
Canada’s Lee sets pace, Kim in the hunt for LIV Golf wild card spots
- LIV Golf Promotions in Florida offers top 3 finishers a chance to play in 2026 regular season
LECANTO: Canada’s Richard T. Lee has proved the player to watch during the first three days at LIV Golf Promotions and is now well-placed for a wild-card spot in the 2026 LIV Golf season.
Anthony Kim, meanwhile, found another gear on the back nine on Saturday, putting him in a better position to return to full-time status in the league.
The final 18 holes of the 36-hole shootout at Black Diamond Ranch take place on Sunday with a potentially career-changing reward for the top three finishers — guaranteed LIV Golf wild-card status for 2026. In addition, the top 10 and ties earn exemptions into the Asian Tour’s International Series.
For the second time this week, Lee led the field with a bogey-free 6-under 64. The 35-year-old will take a two-shot lead over his closest pursuers going into Sunday, giving him a significant advantage. However, he does not plan to take his foot off the gas.
“Honestly, I don’t think it would be comfortable for any player to have a two-shot lead on the last day,” said Lee, who has two eagles, 13 birdies and just one bogey in his 54 competitive holes this week. “I’ll just put my hat on and just play my golf.”
Kim is among three players who are tied for second after shooting a bogey-free 4-under 66, along with South Africa’s Oliver Bekker and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond. Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard is solo fifth after his 3-under 67, with five other players lurking at 1 under.
Kim, who played as a wild card in the past two seasons following his return to competitive golf after a 12-year retirement, was just 1 under through 12 holes on Saturday. But he made consecutive lengthy birdie putts at the 13th and 14th holes, birdied the par-5 16th, then saved par with a 15-footer at the par-4 18th that circled the cup before dropping.
“I have an opportunity to get one of those spots,” said the 40-year-old, the only American to advance to the weekend. “That’s what I asked for coming into this week and put myself in a good position. Now I’ve just got to go finish.”
Kim would not be in this position had he not made an 8-foot birdie putt on the 18th on Friday to make the cut on the number.
“I knew that if I didn’t make birdie on 18 [Friday] that my chances of playing on LIV next year were gone, and to me that’s a big deal,” Kim said. “I’d like to play at the highest level against the best players. It meant a lot to me.”
Bekker was part of LIV Golf’s inaugural field at the 2022 London tournament. Four seasons later, he’s excited about the opportunity to return to the league as a full-time member.
“Thinking back on it now, I had the opportunity to play a few more events, and now I’m like, well, maybe I should have played them,” he said. “The water was a bit rough at that stage and didn’t know what was going to happen, so I played it a bit safe. Luckily, I’ve been given another opportunity this week, and hopefully I can take it.”
Janewattananond won four tournaments in 2019 when he became a top 50 world player and, aged 30, still has years left in his competitive career. After shooting a second-round 67 to advance to the weekend, he shot a 66 on Saturday that included four birdies in a six-hole stretch to end his front nine.
“It’s a very big prize at the end of the day,” he said. “Those three spots up for grabs, it would give me freedom to play wherever I want and security for my family.”
The 34-year-old Bjerregaard, a two-time winner on the DP World Tour, said earning full-time LIV Golf status would be career-changing.
“Where I am in my career right now, it’s probably that or retirement,” he said. “Yeah, that would mean a lot for sure.”
Although nothing is guaranteed, Lee has played so well this week that there may be just two spots available for the remainder of the field.
“We’re not playing for one spot,” said Janewattananond. “I don’t have to worry about him. I just have to worry about myself.”
“He played great today,” added Bjerregaard, playing in the same group as Lee on Saturday. “But I would be happy with any of the other two spots, so that’s fine. I can finish third. I wouldn’t mind.”
