The British press on Monday felt the pressing need to deal more with the question of whether Harry Kane would pay a huge personal price for being a civil rights fighter, than with the statement by Iranian captain Ehsan Hajsafi on the situation in the Islamic republic.
It was reported that there was a chance that the England captain would receive a yellow card if he wore the captain's armband in the colors of pride in a (justified) protest against the position of homosexuals in Qatar. Hajsafi, by the way, previously refused the Association's order not to play against Maccabi Tel Aviv, but this is our world, where well-publicized gestures are given tremendous attention, and true courage, it seems, is not as interesting.
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Ballards Lane, Finchley, is a stronghold of Iranian exiles. The area, once heavily Jewish and Margaret Thatcher's constituency, has become home to thousands of Iranian emigres to London, and there is even an Iranian-speaking primary school on this street. This has brought about another surprising landmark – this is probably London's most interesting and best food street. Now Ballards Lane has also turned into a very political street. The stores are full of advertisements for fundraising, demonstrations, and donations for legal and humanitarian aid for a nation struggling with a government turning on its people. Incidentally, last Saturday, 22 Iranian women in Westminster demonstrated without head covering near the Iranian Embassy.
When I ask where a journalist can watch the game in a good atmosphere, Moodi recommends a pub called Annie's. There, I find out, that even after many years of living in England, and a woman named Sofia who is sending her grandchildren to an English-speaking kindergarten – they still support the ayatollah's regime on the pitch. "We are also ordinary people," they say. This is a very well-known phenomenon around the world, apparent in Israel as well – of people who support their countries of origin, even if they have a personal grievance against that country.
The pub is split between the pro-England and the pro-Iran camps and everyone is in very good spirits, and a surprise awaits your diligent journalist – more diligent journalists. Al Jazeera in English has sent a camera crew to document any Iranian outbursts of joy in the event of a sensational victory over the English. While the English fans are singing their national anthem, the Iranians in the pub decide to do what their players and fans in Qatar do – just show their support for the players, but not sing the national anthem. By the way, they also applauded any close-up picture of an Iranian woman.
The game goes wrong very quickly. The Iranian goalkeeper, Alireza Beiranvand, who in the last World Cup games stopped a penalty by none other than Cristiano Ronaldo and brought his country a sensational draw against Portugal, was hit in the head. After a long time, he is taken off the field injured, and the well-known professional footballers in the land of exile make the most of this situation to gain an overwhelming and undisputable 6:2 victory.
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