{"id":1219,"date":"2020-03-19T22:43:50","date_gmt":"2020-03-19T12:13:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theasiangame.net\/?p=1219"},"modified":"2026-09-23T14:56:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T05:26:28","slug":"opinion-irans-slow-response-raises-eyebrows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theasiangame.net\/ro\/opinion-irans-slow-response-raises-eyebrows\/","title":{"rendered":"OPINION: Iran’s slow response raises eyebrows"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ever since East Asia was plagued with Coronavirus, starting on 31 December in China, clubs from across Asia were monitoring the situation and its effect on their fixtures.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A month after the first case of Coronavirus was reported in China, the East Asian giants postponed the Chinese Super League football league games, effective immediately. Things were much more serious than previously thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, soon spread to Japan and South Korea, but when the first cases were reported in those countries in late January, within a month both had postponed their respective leagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As it stands, both leagues are still postponed with no set return date announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To put numbers into perspective, at the time of football league postponing on 25 February, Japan had 893 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and six deaths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In South Korea, on 25 February, the total number of confirmed cases was 1000, with 11 people losing their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In China, which was at the epicentre of the Coronavirus outbreak, they postponed Super league on 30 January, and at that time the total confirmed cases were 9096, with a death toll of 213. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Vietnam, which has proven to be one of the most successful country in containing the virus, starting on 7 February, the country banned the hosting all sporting events, and thus all AFC Cup home games were switched to away games. That is despite not having any casualty and only 12 cases of confirmed cases of Coronavirus in the country at that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Iran though, there is still a debate on the exact timeline and start date of the virus spreading throughout the country. But one thing is clear, Iran postponed its leagues at a much later date than other top Asian leagues and only postponed the games as of 4 March. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is despite having 2900 confirmed cases with a death toll of 92 people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is the chart showing the total number of COVID-19 death toll at the time of league cancellation in Top 4 Asian countries:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In comparing the numbers, Iran had second highest number of infected people, after China, and yet refused to shut down the league at the same time as China, or other Asian leagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran was the slowest of the three Asian countries (China, South Korea and Japan) in postponing the league.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason was, oddly enough, Iranian football league officials were against the cancellation of the league. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite players and coaches voicing serious concerns, Soheil Mehdi, head of the Iran football league, indicated, “…the league does not have plans to postpone or cancel the league.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It appears, however, that another group applied pressure, preventing the league’s cancellation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pezhman Nouri, head of Malavan club said, \u201c(The) Head of the Iranian Sport Ministry had wanted to cancel the league, but pressures from \u2018higher up officials\u2019 prevent Iran Sport Ministry to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from the coaches and players\u2019 complaints, there was an actual health threat against team players too. Back in late February, some Malavan  players claimed they have been infected with COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, Esteghlal threatened to not play future fixtures due to Coronavirus spreading throughout the country. It was then, that League officials postponed the league.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why would certain groups in Iran delay league shutdown? Sepahan club President, Masoud Tabesh, speaking on state TV program Football Bartar<\/em>, said, \u201c…cancelling the league would provide an excuse for Saudi Arabia to start a warfare against Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This raises serious red flags that the reason for the slow response by Iranian football officials was for purely political reasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 2 April, Persian Gulf League games will resume with business as usual. In the meantime, according to official figures, as this article is being written, Iran currently has one of the highest death tolls outside China, with 16,169 confirmed cases and 988 deaths to date. Those numbers will only continue to rise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mohamad Mokhtari, captain of Damash Gilan, has been arrested by IRGC for accusing authorities of lying about the extent of #coronavirus<\/a> & their coverup.

The official numbers of #coronavirus<\/a> deaths in Iran is at 450+ but believed to be much higher w\/ videos of mass graves shared. pic.twitter.com\/ZICjMRrwfU<\/a><\/p>— Persian Soccer (@PersianFutbol) March 12, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>