Ali Nouri-Baghdad
The Iraqi Football Federation (FFI) has postponed the third round of the Iraqi league for the current season which was scheduled to be held on Thursday, following the popular protests that broke out in the capital Baghdad and a number of Iraqi provinces.
The decision comes after Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi announced the imposition of a curfew in Baghdad and other cities against the backdrop of demonstrations that killed 18 demonstrators and caused hundreds of injuries, according to the Iraqi Commission for Human Rights.
View this post on Instagram Oh God, save them by keeping you and support them, Lord A post shared by Saleh Sadeer - Saleh Sadeer (@salehsadeer) on Oct 2, 2019 at 4:18 am PDT |
Many former and current Iraqi players have joined forces with the protesters' demands, denouncing the use of live bullets and tear gas by security forces and riot police to disperse the protesters and prevent them from reaching the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad.
"As if we did not live the pain together, my compatriots insulted my compatriots. God bless you, Iraq," wrote the former Iraqi goalkeeper and one of the makers of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup achievement.
View this post on Instagram As if we did not live pain together my sons insulted from my sons you God Arac A post shared by Noor Sabri - Noor Sabri (@noorsabriabbas) on Oct 1, 2019 at 10:36 am PDT |
The former Iraqi football star Nashaat Akram published a picture of an Iraqi demonstrator who fell to the ground affected by an attack by a member of the security forces.
For his part, the former Iraqi team player Ali Hussein Rahima solidarity with the demonstrators and the publication of a picture of the Iraqi flag with the comment "Faraj soon, God willing."
While the former Iraqi team player Saleh Sudair published a picture of the demonstrations through his page I attach the following words: "Oh God, save them by keeping you and support them, Lord."
View this post on Instagram Peace for a land created for peace and what ever saw peace / the strongest people of the world will win أArb reservation Iraq and its people🙏🙏❤️ A post shared by Ali Adnan (@aliadnankadhem) on Oct 2, 2019 at 7:34 am PDT |
As for the Iraqi national team player with Canadian Canadian Ali Adnan, he published a picture of children coming out of schools and passing through the streets where the demonstrations broke out amid the smoke of fire and tear gas. For a land created for peace and never saw peace, Lord save Iraq. "
Thousands of Iraqis demonstrated in Baghdad, Dhi Qar and other provinces, demanding services, improving living conditions, providing job opportunities, eliminating unemployment and fighting financial and administrative corruption in state institutions.