Who in their right mind would send their national team to such a place?" President hints at World Cup boycott

The president of the Iranian Football Federation has once again questioned the men's national team's participation in the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

"If this is what the World Cup looks like, who in their right mind would send their national team to such a place?" said Mehdi Taj on Iranian state television. Iran is scheduled to play its preliminary round matches in the United States, two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.

Taj made his comments in connection with incidents involving the women's national team that had participated in the Asian Cup in Australia. According to the Australian government, at least five players had applied for asylum after being eliminated in the preliminary round. Among them is captain Zahra Ghanbari. Taj, however, claimed that the players had been kidnapped and were now being held as "hostages".

Taj blames Trump for alleged abduction of players

Some of the players had been branded "traitors in wartime" by Iranian state television after they refused to sing the national anthem before their opening defeat to South Korea. Taj noted that in the following two matches, the entire team sang the national anthem and saluted.

Taj blamed US President Donald Trump for the alleged abduction of the players. "He threatened Australia: if you don't grant them asylum, I will grant them asylum in the US." After the last game, Australian police "according to our information, took one or two players from the hotel." Taj added: "How can you be optimistic about a World Cup that is to take place in America?"