October 22 – Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League Elite match has been controversially moved from Iran to Dubai by the Asian Football Confederation due to security concerns.
Al-Nassr were scheduled to face Esteghlal Tehran but the game has been relocated much to the annoyance of Indian side Mohun Bagan, who were forced to forfeit their own AFC Champions League qualifier against Iran’s Tractor SC after refusing to travel to Tabriz for a match on October 2.
Mohun Bagan had raised similar concerns over player and staff safety but say they were not given the same consideration by the AFC. The club say they repeatedly communicated concerns about the unstable situation in Iran but were ignored.
A spokesperson for Mohun Bagan told the Associated Press that the AFC were applying double standards.
“Not applying the same standard to Mohun Bagan would amount to unequal treatment by the AFC. We constantly communicate our concerns about the volatile and unsafe conditions in and around Iran, especially with regard to the safety of players and staff.”
The AFC ruled that they had been “considered to have withdrawn” from the second tier AFC Champions League Two for refusing to travel to Iran.
It is not only Al-Nassr’s game that has been relocated. Tractor’s home game against Ravshan of Tajikistan has been switched to become an away tie. Iran’s national team also had to move its October 15 World Cup qualifier against Qatar to Dubai.
“…(Mohun Bagan) notes that the AFC has indeed recognised the volatility of the situation in Iran and as such, has rescheduled or shifted venues for several games,” the Mohun Bagan spokesperson added. “Failing to apply the same standard to Mohun Bagan would result in unequal treatment by the AFC.”
