Feb 8, 2016, 9:56 AM

Politicizing sport wrong behavior: deputy FM

Politicizing sport wrong behavior: deputy FM

TEHRAN, Feb. 08 (MNA) – Iranian deputy FM expressed regret over the politicization of sports by some Saudi officials, calling it a wrong behavior.

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian condemned on Sunday some Saudi authorities who are trying to extend the policy of creating tensions to the field of sports.

The remarks by the Iranian diplomat came after the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) recently asked the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to hold matches between the two countries in a third country, a decision made due to the cutting of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia on January 3.

In response to the ilegitimate request of the Arab country, Iranian Football Federation members and managing directors of the football clubs present in the AFC Champions League, said they insisted on holding 35th edition of Asia's premier club football tournament in Iran, Amir-Abdollahian said.

During its executive committee, AFC asked Iran and Saudi Arabia to resolve the issues between them as of March 15.

Amir-Abdollahian strongly slammed the allegations made by the SAFF in making the request with the false excuse of potential insecurity in the Islamic Republic which will affect the matches, underlining that “Iran is one of the safest countries in the region.”

 

LR/IRN81953590

 

News ID 114251

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