Became the non -grata person in the native country after the gesture made with Donald Trump after the final of the club World Cup
Article by Alexandru Stanciu – published Wednesday, July 23, 2025, 20:33 / Updated Wednesday, July 23, 2025 20:34
It all started from an apparently trivial gesture: shaking the US president Donald Trump, during the closing ceremony, supports Sport.Aakuality.sk. This moment was enough for many Iranians to consider it a “traitor”, due to the political tensions between the two countries.
Alireza Faghani, considered “traitor” in Iran, after shaking his hand with Donald Trump
In the city of Qom a huge banner with its portrait was displayed, in which the gold medal was replaced with a potato. The slogan on the banner label him without any example as an example of national betrayal.
Public anger springs from a deeper conflict: the bombing of Iran, ordered by Trump on June 22. Although shaking hands took place almost a month later, social tensions persisted. Faghani is now facing a wave of criticisms in the media and on social networks.
Alireza Faghani / Photo: Imago Images
“It could be in real danger if they would return to Iran,” warns Sharam Alghasi, professor of media sociology in Norway. However, the referee lives in Australia in 2019, where he continues to arbitrate at the professional level.
According to Alghasi, the threat does not come directly from the regime, but the atmosphere in the country is loaded with nationalist feelings, which the power can instrumentalize at any time. “The media opens that it turned its back to the nation,” adds the teacher.
And Marianne Hafnor Boeova, a teacher of religious studies, reacted to the situation. She recalls that other athletes have experienced similar attacks in the past. “The women were accused of not wearing Hijab, the men were persecuted because they do not agree with the government line. Many have requested asylum,” she explained.
Football is one of the most important social topics in Iran, and the state invests considerable amounts in sports to build its reputation abroad. That is why the connection between sports and politics is so powerful in the country – and any “failure of loyalty” quickly turns into a state business.
