Your Regime Is In Real Trouble When You Start Fucking With Soccer

Iranian regime "retires" soccer players on national team caught wearing green wristbands, a decision that will surely further endear the hardline mullahs to young Iranians. "The gesture acutely embarrassed Iranian officials. The team's chief administrative officer, Mansour Pourhiedari, initially claimed the wristbands had been intended as a religious tribute to a revered Shia figure in the hope that it would deliver a victory on the pitch." I guess they didn't buy the St. Patrick's Day excuse, either. The least of their crimes, certainly, but what a bunch of PR hacks: "Iran's hardline media have since linked the protest to the arrest on Saturday of Mohsen Safayi Farahani, who headed the country's football governing body under the former reformist president, Mohammad Khatami. He is one of several dozen opposition politicians, intellectuals and journalists to have been detained." Next to be detained: sick grandmothers and cute puppies. Stupid!