Canadian official backs up report that Iranian soccer chief was denied entry
AP News • • sports
Key Points:
- Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand stated that Iranian soccer officials were denied entry to Canada ahead of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, describing the denial as unintentional.
- Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj and two other officials were reportedly denied entry due to issues with immigration officials at Toronto’s Pearson Airport, according to the Iranian news agency Tasnim.
- The denial is linked to Taj's alleged connections with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a terrorist entity banned in Canada, leading to his visa revocation and removal from the country.
- Immigration Minister Lena Diab's office emphasized that all visa applications are reviewed individually and reaffirmed that IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada.
- The FIFA Congress, involving representatives from 211 soccer federations, is being held just weeks before the World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; FIFA has yet to comment on Iran’s participation status.
