DORTMUND (GERMANY), 25 Apr. (dpa/EP) –
Former Iranian international Ali Karimi has changed his address again after receiving death threats for his support for anti-regime protests in his home country.
Karimi, 44, confirmed that he has left Dubai for another place as a result of the threats. “I received death threats from various sides. That’s why I was forced to move away from Iran, and I had to move again. It’s a terrible feeling to be in exile. My hope is that the revolution for the freedom of women’s lives will have success,” he declared by video call at a themed evening about Iranian athletes at the German Football Museum in Dortmund.
Karimi, a former Bayern Munich and Schalke player, is one of a number of former Iranian players who have expressed solidarity with the anti-regime protests in Iran, sparked by the death in September of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody for allegedly infringing the islamic dress code
129-times capped Karimi has reportedly been charged by Iranian judicial authorities for siding with the enemy and fomenting unrest. Karimi said he hoped more soccer players and athletes would join the protest movement.
“International players, in particular, hold a place in the hearts of the country’s fans. Given this particular platform, I believe it is the duty of every footballer to get involved in social causes. It is my wish that every athlete finds their place in the right side of history and get involved in the revolution for the freedom of women’s lives,” she declared.
Karimi added that he opposes the boycott of Iranian sports. “All athletes should participate in big events like the Olympic Games because they offer the only opportunity to spread the voice of the Iranian people throughout the country,” he concluded.