Daei Infantino

PLDC - Iranian football legend Ali Daei has objected to FIFA President Gianni Infantino for his use of a fake name to refer to the Persian Gulf.

Daei who has been invited to The Best FIFA Awards 2022 in Paris has held talks with the head of the world football governing body on the sidelines of the event.

Speaking to Tabnak, an Iranian news website, Daei said that he had transmitted Iranian people’s question on why Infantino had used the “false” phrase of the Arabian Gulf instead of the Persian Gulf for referring to a competition which was held in a neighboring country two months ago.

According to Daei, Infantino said in response that he “had no other choice” because that was the name chosen for the tournament.

The 2023 edition of the Gulf Cup, also called the Arabian Gulf Cup, was held in Iraq and ended with the hosting nation winning the trophy.

Infantino’s congratulatory message to the winner of the tournament in which he used the false term was widely criticized in Iran.

Iran’s sports community as well as activists and officials openly objected to the naming of the tournament, slamming efforts to distort history.

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