Iranian Canadian Congress (ICC), a non-profit member-based advocacy organization for Canadians of Iranian origin, issued a statement on Tuesday, May 17th supporting the upcoming friendly soccer match between Canada and Iran in Vancouver.
In this statement, ICC says that the organization “appreciates and supports the decision and the efforts of the Canada Soccer organization in hosting this friendly match.” The statement further adds that ICC believes “conflating politics with sports…contradicts the ideals espoused by Canada, including peaceful coexistence, and promotion of democracy and friendship.”
In recent days, Hamed Esmailion the spokesperson for the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims has called on Canada Soccer to cancel the soccer game and urged Canadian officials not to allow Iranian soccer players and those accompanying them to enter Canada. Esmailion has claimed that those accompanying the Iranian national soccer team have links to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). However, he has not provided the names of the individuals with links to the IRGC or evidence to verify his claims. In an article for the Globe and Mail, Esmailion suggests that “Canada’s World Cup friendly match against Iran is an insult to the victims of PS752.”
In response to these criticisms, Canada Soccer issued a statement stating: “At Canada Soccer, we believe in the power of sport and its ability to bring people from different backgrounds and political beliefs together for a common purpose.”
Here is the full text of the statement issued by the board of directors of the Iranian Canadian Congress:
A friendly soccer match is scheduled between Canada and Iran at the BC Place Stadium (Vancouver) on June 5th ,2022 as part of the preparation games for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.
Thousands of Canadians and members of the Iranian Canadian community have enthusiastically purchased their tickets in anticipation of this rare and historic match, already sold out. This speaks volumes to the fact that vast majority of Canadian and Iranian people favor friendly relationships symbolically captured by these types of events. The word “friendly match” itself symbolizes our people’s desire for peace and friendship abroad and at home.
Friendly international sports competitions have always had the aim of bringing people together. This match symbolizes the wish of the Iranian and Canadian people to come together around the values of sportsmanship, friendship, peace, and solidarity. In this regard, the Iranian Canadian Congress appreciates and supports the decision and the efforts of the Canada Soccer organization in hosting this friendly match. As stated by Canada Soccer: “We believe in the power of sport and its ability to bring people from different backgrounds and political beliefs together for a common purpose.”
Sports, arts, and cultural events are the channels of interaction and dialogue among civilizations. We strongly believe that conflating politics with sports by politicians and interest groups contradicts the ideals espoused by Canada, including peaceful coexistence, and promotion of democracy and friendship. While such attempts may produce superficial and short-term political gains, eventually the preservation of these intercultural events serves the purpose of conflict reduction, advancement of democracy, and mutual understanding.
Iranian Canadian Congress welcomes the upcoming friendly match and invites the Iranian and Canadian national teams to observe one-minute silence to initiate the match in respect and memory of Iranian-Canadian victims of flight 752.
