Will Iranians boycott Nike after banning shoes for Iran's National Team?
Independent Aggregator of Iran-related News/Events, Kodoom.com: The US-based sports outfit giant, Nike, has yielded to new Trump-imposed sanctions on Iran and now refuses to supply Iran's National Team with soccer shoes just before the 2018 World Cup. Iranians are outraged and there is talk of boycotting Nike products in social media.
The Head Coach of Iranian National Team (Team Melli) is not happy about this last minute decision right before the World Cup. "Players get used to their sports equipment, and it's not right to change them a week before such important matches," says Carlos Queiroz at a training session outside Moscow.
Team Melli’s shirts are provided by Adidas, the German company supplying 12 of the World Cup teams with their jersies, thus outperforming Nike. Players are permitted footwear made by any sporting brand, but now even expatriate Iranian players sponsored by Nike, such as Swedish-born striker Saman Ghoddos, will not be allowed to don the cleats because of the ban.
Iran is one of Asia's most successful soccer nations, making its fifth World Cup appearance in Moscow. The Iranian Team is the tallest Asian team and will face Morocco in St. Petersburg on June 15 on its first match in World Cup.
Nike's decision was condemned by the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), which called on the U.S. government to take immediate steps to address the "shameful situation."
Mehdi Mahdavikia, a former captain of Iran's national team, also criticized Nike's decision: "The World Cup is a place for nations to come together."
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