Doha. Today, Iran enters the World Championships.
Outside the match arena, Hamish (40) and Sumi (40) have the fight for their people.
We cannot believe that they are killing children on our streets. Sumi says the women want their freedom back.
Sumi can’t hold back the tears. The words pour out of her as she frantically tries to communicate why it matters to the point where she and partner Hamish are at their venue outside Doha’s Khalifa International Stadium.
She’s not here for the football (“I couldn’t care less,” she says, shaking her head).
Instead, it is about making the voices of Iranian women and children heard.
Everyone must separate from Iran. We need support from other countries. Please be our voice, Sumi pleads.
– I could not have said any of this in my home country. Everything is in order, everything is bad. They kill children in the dark.
“Women, Life, Liberty”
Then the sound stops.
– We’re trying to fight the system, Sumi says before Hamish adopts her.
Sorry, I can’t control my feelings.
The demonstrations began in Iran when Mohsa Amini, 22, who was arrested by the police, died. She was suspected of breaking the strict rules on women’s head coverings. Since then, the situation has escalated.
The two held banners reading “Freedom for Iran” and “Women, Life, Freedom” a few hours before Iran went out to face England in the World Cup.
– This is only about regaining our freedom, and nothing else, Sumi concludes.
