Introduction
Cultural anomalies and social misdemeanor tensions in Iranian football have long posed significant challenges for cultural and social experts and activists. Various committees within the football federation have been tasked with addressing these issues and reducing tensions.
The Role of Committees
- Ethical Committee: Responsible for defining regulations related to ethical, and cultural issues, and fair play, as well as overseeing their implementation and addressing non-compliance cases.
- Fair Play and Social Responsibility Committee: Focuses on establishing regulations related to cultural issues, fair play, and supervising their implementation within the football federation structure.
Cultural Integration in Clubs
Many Iranian clubs have incorporated cultural aspects alongside sports, often appointing a “Cultural Deputy” to manage cultural and social affairs within the clubs.
Challenges and Questions
Despite the existence of these committees and roles, questions arise regarding the effectiveness of their measures in recent years:
- What fundamental measures have been taken to address cultural and social issues within Iranian football?
- How successful have these committees and administrators been in curbing misbehavior and enhancing the image of domestic football?
Recent Incidents
Recent events involving players and coaches in prominent Iranian teams have highlighted ongoing challenges:
- Danial Esmaili-Far and Javad Nekonam’s incidents raised concerns about player conduct and its impact on fans and the football community.
Impact and Reflection
The behavior of players and coaches on the field often mirrors the conduct of spectators, emphasizing the need for positive role modeling and cultural awareness within football.
Repeat Offenders
There are too many footballers and coaches who misbehave regularly with the fear of being punished, however, two of them have to be singled out as a prime example :
Javad Nekounam, a prominent figure known for his record as the most capped player for Team Melli and a former Captain, has consistently attracted media attention since transitioning to coaching after retiring as a player. His tenure, starting from Foolad Khuzestan, has been marred by frequent involvement in contentious incidents, including instances of unprofessional behavior, indiscretion, and verbal altercations.
Shoja’a Khalilzadeh: A player known for his misconduct both on and off the field. Recently, he has engaged in altercations with the press, hurling insults during interviews and displaying tantrums. His behavior has escalated to the point where he openly challenged the disciplinary committee of the federation to impose a ban on him.
Calls for Action
- Behavior Management: Emphasizes the importance of managing emotions and behaviors through expert guidance and club interventions.
- Club Responsibility: Urges clubs to take proactive measures in addressing misconduct before federation intervention becomes necessary.
The Need for Transparency
There is a call for greater transparency regarding the cultural initiatives and their impact:
- Clubs and federations should clarify the measures taken in cultural fields and assess their effectiveness in fostering positive change.
Conclusion
While acknowledging challenges and weaknesses in disciplinary rules, there is an expectation for clubs and federations to prioritize cultural integration and responsibility to set positive examples within the football community.
Ever changing CEO’s of the clubs, financial instabilities, poor administrators and weak management of FFIRI has made the task of improving the culture of football so much more difficult, if not impossible.