To:
Players, coaches, and sports personalities present at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

We, the undersigned, urge you to stand up for women’s rights and human rights and show a sign of solidarity with the women-led uprising in Iran at the upcoming world cup in Qatar. We recognize that FIFA rules severely curtail your ability to make political statements or display political slogans, and as such, our focus is on human rights issues, centered around the defining slogan of the uprising: "Woman, Life, Freedom".

The injustices towards women in Iran are all very well documented. Of particular relevance to the context of the World Cup is the fact that women cannot freely enter soccer stadiums to watch and support their national team or domestic clubs. This is in clear violation of FIFA statutes, which ban any discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Female athletes, including soccer players, are forced to abide by the state-mandated dress code, even when engaged in sports activities. This puts them at a clear disadvantage in competitions with athletes from other countries. The list of injustices toward women outside the context of sports is too long to discuss here.

What can you do to help?

Any symbolic move, activity or (explicit or implicit) comment by the players or coaches of any team, particularly those grouped with Iran, can be tremendously impactful. One example would be to wear a sign of the Iranian uprising, e.g. a wristband with the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom” inscribed on it, during a match. Another possibility would be for players to make a scissor-like gesture above their heads, mimicking the cutting of one’s hair, which has become an iconic symbol of support for the women-led protests in Iran. Players can also take the knee during the national anthem of the Islamic Republic. You can use your imagination to come up with other ways of showing solidarity with the Iranian people.

It is important to note that no player or coach should see such moves as actions against the Iranian national team. The strong majority of the players on Team Melli support the “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising but cannot express their solidarity with the Iranian people due to fear of retaliation by the autocratic government.

There are also many activities which can occur outside the field, e.g. raising awareness through interviews with mainstream media and news agencies, soccer commentators referring to the plight of the Iranian women, players or coaches doing the same during post-game press conferences, etc.

We surely hope that you will choose to stand with the Iranian people and help them at this important juncture with an act of solidarity.