Speaking on the World At One 21.11.22, in an emotional interview Shaparak Khorsandi condemned the Qatar FIFA World Cup in an interview with Sarah Montague.
Sarah Montague:
There’s huge pressure on the (Iranian) players we were talking about. What seemed pressure on the England team to wear an arm band and has chosen not to. I mean….. It doesn’t really compare, (with the pressure on the Iranian team) does it?
Shaparak Khorsandi
It is really difficult with the (England) team. Had that not happened. I may have watched (the England Iran game) today. So it isn’t just about the Iranian team. I’ll be honest with you. It is the grubbiness of this entire tournament where if it was being black being illegal in Qatar – if it was being Chinese was illegal, you’d get arrested. No one would play. But we do not take homophobia as seriously as racism. We do not take misogyny as seriously as racism. It is a disgrace that in a country where our Lionesses would not be able to play, I can’t begin to tell you how problematic I feel all of this is and these are all of the reasons why I’m sitting in my kitchen with my dogs. Rather than watch (the game). and talking with you. There’s no way I would, I would be on the radio had this been anywhere than Qatar.
The programme also included an equally eloquent interview with John Amaechi
(Report by Simon Albury)
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