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USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter asked forgiveness on Monday for his group’s edit of the Iranian flag in World Cup social networks posts … though he insisted he and his gamers had no say in the matter.
The U.S. Soccer Federation’s posts were up for numerous hours on Instagram, Facebook And Twitter on Saturday … revealing Iran’s flag without the symbol of the Islamic Republic in it.
U.S. soccer authorities stated the scrubbing was on function, telling CNN it was a prepared 24-hour modification to reveal “support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights.” The typical flag had actually been brought back by Sunday afternoon.
The relocation, nevertheless, was panned by Iran … and the nation’s state media asked FIFA on Sunday to kick the U.S. out of World Cup action over all of it.
“According to section 13 of #FIFA rules,” Tasnim News Firm tweeted, “any person who offends the dignity or integrity of a country, a person or group of people … shall be sanctioned with a suspension lasting at least ten matches or a specific period, or any other appropriate disciplinary measure.”
FIFA has yet to talk about the concern — though Berhalter was peppered with concerns about it throughout a conference with press reporters simply 24 hr prior to the U.S. is slated to play Iran in a must-win match on Tuesday. The loser is most likely gotten rid of from the tourney.
Berhalter stated “players and the staff knew nothing about what was being posted” … calling it “out of our control.” He did, however, state he was sorry.
“All we can do on our behalf is apologize on behalf of the players and the staff,” he stated, “but it’s not something that we are part of.”
The 49-year-old supervisor then stated he and his group’s focus is strictly on Tuesday’s match.
“I don’t want to sound aloof or not caring by saying that, but the guys have worked really hard for the last four years, we have 72 hours between England and Iran, and we really are just focused on how to get past Iran and how we can go to this knockout stage of the tournament.”
“Of course, our thoughts are with the Iranian people — the whole country, the whole team, everyone. But our focus is on this match.”
Even prior to the flag mess, Tuesday’s video game made sure to be tense … as U.S.-Iran relations are icy, at finest. Now, with the strength ratcheted up, the video game is must-watch television.
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