Iran rejects World Cup ban calls

Persepolis's match with Bayern Munich attracted thousands

Leading figures in Iranian football have rejected calls from some members of Parliament in Germany - hosts of the 2006 World Cup - to disqualify their national football team from this year's finals.

The MPs - backed by former West German international midfielder and 1974 World Cup winner Wolfgang Overath - suggested that Iran should be banned from taking part following its resumption of nuclear fuel research and the anti-Israel remarks made by the country's hardline president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

But Iran midfielder Hamed Kavianpour, who plays his club football at Tehran club Persepolis, said he doubted such a move would occur.

"Disqualify the team? I don't think such a thing would happen," he told BBC World Service's World Football programme.

Karimi return

Amongst other comments, President Ahmadinejad has suggested the Holocaust was a myth - a statement that could lead to a jail sentence in Germany - and has called for Israel to be wiped off the map.

In response, some German MPs argued that the Iranian should not be allowed to play in the tournament their country is hosting.

However, the country's Chancellor, Angela Merkel, ruled out such a move.

Mr Ahmadinejad's comments received international condemnation

Disqualifying Iran's team from the World Cup would create an uproar in Iran, said World Football's Roxana Saberi in Tehran.

Football is the most popular sport among men in Iran, and is attracting more women fans, even though among them, it is usually only government employees, athletes, and journalists who can watch matches at the stadiums.

After Iran qualified last June for the World Cup, men and women poured into the streets, singing and dancing together - a rare public mingling of the genders in Iran.

Iranian fans turned out in thousands to meet German club side Bayern Munich when they player Persepolis in a recent friendly.

Many were proud to see Ali Karimi - a former Persepolis player now on Bayern Munich - back in his native country.

At the time, Bayern's sporting director, Uli Hoeness, said the game did not show support for President Ahmadinejad, and that Bayern were "playing for the people, not for the regime".

And Sayid Ali ipour Hosseini, a writer for the Iranian daily World Of Football, said sports should not mix with politics.

"Mr Ahmadinejad didn't qualify for the World Cup, the soccer team did - and the soccer team didn't say anything to be disqualified," he said.

"Football is football. politics is not football, it's politics."

But Iran has history of mixing politics with sport, and has refused to let its athletes compete against Israelis.

Meanwhile, last November, Iran barred South Korean company LG from sponsoring a four-nation tournament in Tehran. Members of Iran's conservative-dominated parliament said the move was in retaliation for South Korea's vote against Iran's nuclear program at a UN nuclear watchdog meeting.

"If these countries take new positions, we'll certainly make our own new views, too, whether it be in relation to culture, in relation to economics, or in relation to sports," said MP Fatemeh Alliya.

"Our people expect the people in charge to act according to their wishes."