Spanish Fan Walking To Tournament Goes Missing In Iran:
October 1 was Santiago Sanchez’s last pictured date on the border of Iraq and Iran.
A 41-year-old Spanish soccer fan planning on foot to Qatar to watch the World Cup in November has disappeared in Iran, Spain’s foreign ministry has confirmed.
Santiago Sanchez was last seen October 1, after he had sent his acquaintances a photo of himself standing on the border between Iran and Iraq with the subject line: “Entry to Iran.”
Sanchez’s family in Madrid informed the Spanish press that their son would likely detain in Iran.
“A 99 percent chance that he is in prison in Iran, but the [Spanish] embassy has told my daughter. That until they go to the prison to see him and have the permission of the Iranian government, they cannot give that news,” his mother Celia told her.
The parents are asked to send photographs and dental records of Santiago along with their items, like a toothbrush. These items will send to Interpol.
The Spanish foreign ministry has confirmed Sanchez was located in Iran. The Spanish Embassy in Tehran is looking for information. Regarding his whereabouts in order and will provide him with consular assistance.
“The embassy is in permanent contact with the Iranian authorities. Since it was made aware of the disappearance,” the embassy wrote in an announcement.
Sanchez Sanchez left Madrid in January and began backpacking across Europe in the direction of Turkey as well as Iraq.
He said to Reuters that in Zakho within Iraqi Kurdistan last month. That his dream was to be able to meet the Spanish team to inspire them to win the 2022 World Cup.
“If you don’t set a date for your dreams, you don’t realize them,” he stated.
Negative Covid Tests No Longer Required:
At Qatar’s 2022 World Cup, spectators displaying a negative Covid 19 test will no longer require to complete additional screening before entering the country.
The changes made to Covid tests, which are no longer obligatory. It will come into effect on November 1 that’s 20 days before the beginning of the FIFA World Cup.
According to the public health ministry, the residents and citizens of Qatar are no longer required to pass a rapid antigen test or a PCR test within 24 hours after arriving in Qatar. Visitors are no longer required to provide a positive Covid-19 PCR or rapid antigen test results before traveling to Qatar.
The public is still advised to adhere to the standard precautionary steps to lower the chance of Covid infection.
This announcement came one month ago when it was declared that fans in Qatar would not have to get vaccinated against Covid-19. However, Qatar’s government and the Supreme Organising Committee said. They must submit a negative test before flying to the country.
Qatar is set on hosting this international tournament for medical reasons, as a sign. It is expected that 1.2 million travelers will pass through Qatar to be at it. Organizers have provided updates on recent occasions.
Iran Should Be Replaced By Ukraine, Says Shakthar Donetsk Chief:
The United States must eject Iran from the World Cup. And exchange it with Ukraine for providing missiles to the Russian government of Vladimir Putin. On Monday, Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergei Palkin called the federation to bar Iran from the game.
“While the Iranian leadership is having fun viewing their team competing in the World Cup. Ukrainians will kill by Iranian drones and Iranian missiles. Around 250 drones have already targeted peaceful cities in Ukraine,” he said.
“Each of them was produced, delivered by the Iranian authorities, Iranian instructors. And the military trained and managed the launches of drones that destroyed homes. Also, Museums, universities, offices, sports grounds and playgrounds, and most killed Ukrainians.”
This week, the UK government and the EU issued sanctions against three Iranian generals. And an arms firm for Russia’s use of Iranian drones to strike Ukraine.
After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Iran-based kamikaze suicide drones. And missiles had attacked Ukraine, the billionaire Ukrainian footballer Shakhtar Donetsk said it had summoned Fifa.
And the rest of the international community requests an immediate ban for the Iranian national team from playing at the World Cup for its participation in direct terrorist attacks on Ukraine.
“This will be a fair decision that should draw the world’s attention to a regime that kills its best people and helps kill Ukrainians.”
Shakhtar is participating in this year’s Uefa Champions League. Playing its home matches in Warsaw, the Polish capital Warsaw. The club hasn’t been in Donetsk since 2014 because of Russian escalated violence in the Donbas region.
In the latter part of September, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.
Palkin said that qualifying for the Iranian World Cup should be shared by Ukraine, which demonstrated that it was worthy of participation. Arguing that with similar weather with other national teams in the playoffs, they were determined to play their hearts out.
Then, in June, Wales defeated Ukraine 1-0 in a European playoff to win one of the last spots in the tournament.
Russia, scheduled to play in the playoffs, was exiled for this year’s World Cup. Fifa and Uefa announced in February that the Russian national team and all Russian clubs would be exiled from football until further notice.
“I encourage everyone to join in the pressure on the soccer bureaucracy. It’s impossible to recreate the errors made at this year’s World Cup in Russia, with the naivety that sports are apolitical,” Palkin added.
“Facilitating terrorists’ participation in this World Cup is politics. It’s time to stop this kind of policy.”
Middle East Eye has contacted Fifa to inquire about its position but hasn’t received any response as of the publication date.
Iran will participate for the seventh time in World Cup and its fourth in succession. The first game will play against England on November 21 within a group comprising Wales and the United States and Wales.
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