Tehran.

Team Melli and Qatar FC central defender is facing a long term ban after he unceremoniously left the Team Melli camp, without the approval of the management just before the match against Lebanon on Wednesday.

The reason for his departure is unclear although it is suspected to be related to his status as a starter in the team and the preference by Carlos Queiroz for other defender to start the match against Lebanon. Aghili has not been selected for the Team Melli squad in the last few matches. Although he was absent from Team Melli , he refrained to publicly criticize the coach for not selecting him and insisted that he will work harder and play better to regain his place in the national team.

In a statement to the press after the Lebanon match , where Team Melli comprehensively defeated Lebanon 5-0 , Ali Kaffashian , the head of IRIFF indicated that Aghili might be off Team Melli permanently for such a move. He said that such attitude cannot be tolerated with players who are supposed to be at the service of their country regardless to what grievances they have against the federation or Team management personnel.

In a separate statement today , Esmael Hassanzadeh , the head of the disciplinary committee of the IRIFF has said that his committee has not yet received an official request to investigate Aghili’s misdemeanor. He explained that there are certain procedures to be adhered to and both parties need to give their own version of events before a final judgment would be issued.

Hassanzadeh , said that the normal ruling in cases of players refusing to train or take part in the Team Melli matches upon the request of the coach , may result in a life ban on the activity of that player at domestic level. Asked whether such domestic ban will affect a affect a footballer playing outside Iran such as Hadi Aghili, Hassanzadeh confirmed that the ban is domestic only as the IRIFF has no jurisdiction on other countries, however he said that if a player is banned in his own country then obliviously the football federation will not issue the ITC that is required by international football regulation to allow him playing in a foreign country. In the case a footballer already playing abroad and his ITC has been issued , such as the case with Hadi Aghili playing for Qatar FC,  there is no such restriction to play for a foreign club.

Hadi Aghili has played for Iran 69 times and scored 10 goals in his career for Team Melli. The number of goals he scored as a defender puts him at the top list of defenders scoring list for Team Melli.