A scheduled football match between Saudi and Iranian teams was abruptly cancelled on Monday night due to a disagreement surrounding the presence of a statue commemorating the slain Revolutionary Guards commander, Qasem Soleimani, according to an official from one of the clubs involved.

The match, set to be contested between Sepahan FC and Al Ittihad FC, was originally intended to take place in the Iranian city of Isfahan.

However, the AFC Champions League issued a statement stating that the game “has been cancelled due to unanticipated and unforeseen circumstances,” without providing further details.

A representative from Saudi side Al Ittihad revealed that the conflict arose when club administrators objected to a bust of Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a US drone strike in 2020. The official argued that “it’s a pure football game, and (the bust’s) presence is totally irrelevant.”

“We asked them to remove it before going for the pre-game warm-up, and they didn’t remove it. As a result, the team returned to the locker room,” the official explained.

Following this incident, both teams met with AFC representatives to discuss the possibility of rescheduling the match.

Qasem Soleimani, known for commanding the foreign operations arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, remains a revered figure in Iran, particularly following his assassination in 2020 by a U.S. drone strike.

Iran’s ISNA news agency reported the match’s cancellation “by the decision of the referee,” although no specific reason was provided. The agency stated its intention to file a complaint with the Asian Football Confederation regarding the incident.

Read more on original:

https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/middle-east/sport/1696266534-standoff-delays-iran-saudi-champions-league-clash-over-soleimani-bust