People Praise Footballer Excluded For Criticizing Government

Ghafouri has represented Iran’s national football team in the past, but was not called up for this year’s World Cup in Qatar, where the national team refrained from singing the national anthem at their first match against England on Monday. Ghafouri, who has played for Esteghlal, one of Iran’s biggest clubs, is among the most prominent figures arrested in a widescale crackdown on protesters, including in the western Kurdish areas from which he hails, with rights groups saying dozens have been killed over the last week alone.