Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

FIFA Soccer: Teymourian Stands Out For Iran

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • FIFA Soccer: Teymourian Stands Out For Iran

    TEYMOURIAN STANDS OUT FOR IRAN

    Globe and Mail, Canada
    June 14 2006

    Friedrichshafen, Germany - Many soccer players have a habit of
    routinely crossing themselves as they emerge onto the field for a
    World Cup match.

    But Anderanik Teymourian is different.

    His simple gesture has amazed television viewers around the world
    because Teymourian plays on the national team of Iran, one of most
    thoroughly Islamic nations in the world.

    Teymourian is a member of Iran's tiny Armenian minority, part of
    an Orthodox Christian presence dating back to biblical times. About
    200,000 Armenians currently live in Iran, mostly in Tehran and other
    towns of the northwest.

    Although Iran is an Islamic theocratic state, Christianity and other
    non-Muslim religions are not banned as in other strictly fundamentalist
    states such as Saudi Arabia.

    "I'm the first Christian Iranian player in the World Cup since 1978,"
    Teymourian said.

    The last non-Muslim player on the national team was defender Andranik
    Eskandarian in 1978. He now lives in the United States.

    The gangly, 22-year old midfielder, who is seen as one of the great
    hopes of Iranian soccer, plays for the Aboo Muslim club from Tehran.

    He also has played for Iran at every youth level so far before being
    drafted to the national squad by coach Branko Ivankovic.

    "He is a wonderful player. Very serious, very committed, I can rely
    on him to fulfil any task," Ivankovic said. "He will definitely play
    a big role on the national team for many years to come."

    Teymourian says he gets along very well with his teammates, and that
    religious differences don't affect their relations on the field or
    on a personal level.

    "I am very happy that as a Christian I am playing for a Muslim team,"
    he said. "I will put all my abilities at the disposal of the nation
    and the team."

    He said that normally he regularly attends church in Tehran.

    "But it's been impossible to get out of the camp in Germany because
    of security, so I haven't been able to do so here."
Working...
X