Iran dodges AFC sanction as football chief retains position

TEHRAN: The head of Iran’s football federation will retain his position following legal confusion over his retirement and the Asian Football Federation threatening to sanction Iran over government interference, the semi-official news agency ISNA reported on Thursday.

“Following the meetings we had with the sports minister and the federation, it was decided that Mr. Taj (would) continue his services at the football federation,” ISNA quoted the head of Iran’s Olympic federation Seyed Reza Salehi-Amiri.“We are on the verge of the AFC Asian Cup and need to muster our power for the national team’s victory.”