Allegations Against the Head of the Referee Committee of the Iranian Football Federation

On Monday night, during the television program 90, allegations were made against the head of the Referee Committee of the Iranian Football Federation, many of which were substantiated throughout the program and left unanswered by Fereydoun Esfahaniyan. The tense content of this program and the presentation of evidence regarding the repeated violations by the refereeing authorities in Iranian football highlight the reasons for the disarray that leads to controversies and conflicts in several Premier League matches each week. This situation is not limited to the Referee Committee; in recent months, similar documents regarding violations or negligence by the Cultural Committee, Disciplinary Committee, and other important units of the Football Federation have been presented, which have not elicited any response from Ali Kaffashian, the head of this federation. Hossein Asgari, the head of the Refereeing Department, along with Reza Ghiasy, the former head of the Referee Committee, were guests on the program. The federation's inability to provide tickets for futsal referees sparked tense moments surrounding the controversial topic of refereeing in Iranian football. Asgari confirmed that referees have had to pay out of their own pockets to buy airplane tickets. Ghiasy, during the program, referred to FIFA regulations and labeled Fereydoun Esfahaniyan, the current head of the Referee Committee, as a violator, lawbreaker, and liar. According to a clear announcement by the Inspection Organization and the Administrative Justice Court, simultaneous membership in the City Council and national positions is prohibited, yet this official is a member of the Zanjan City Council. Interestingly, just this week, the Ministry of Sports announced a new caretaker for the Weightlifting Federation, stating that Hossein Rezazadeh cannot participate in elections until he resigns from the Tehran City Council. Previously, based on this same law, Hadi Saei was prevented from participating in the Taekwondo Federation elections. Reza Ghiasy stated that in a training class for referees abroad, Mr. Esfahaniyan read his report in Persian script written in Finglish, which is considered cheating, especially in a sensitive area like judging and refereeing, where individuals symbolize justice and rule of law. Ghiasy emphasized that the Finglish text was written for him by Navid Mozaffari, but after that coaching class, Esfahaniyan claimed he spoke in English during the sessions and the audience applauded him. Later in the program, Fereydoun Esfahaniyan came on the line and denied this issue, but Navid Mozaffari told Adel Ferdowsipour that he does not deny Ghiasy's statements and that he helped other Iranian referees in that session. As the head of the committee, Esfahaniyan issues directives for supervising competitions and teaching in coaching classes, which is against FIFA regulations. However, Ghiasy had also committed the same violation during his management. But the most significant part of the allegations against Esfahaniyan concerns his ownership of a team in Iranian football, a club in the second division of the country named Shahidaneh Zanjan! The additional violation is that, according to Ghiasy's claims, Mr. Esfahaniyan, while attending the team's matches, went to the referees' locker room between halves to meet them. This issue, which has no parallel in today's professional football world, is so normal in Iran that it had not even been mentioned before the 90 program. Esfahaniyan did not deny the team ownership but stated that he does not interfere in the arrangement of referees in the second division so that it is not said that Esfahaniyan favors his own team. Moreover, a referee who would question himself because of me is not a referee! Ghiasy asked him why only he should participate in overseas training classes. He who neither knows English nor computers. The head of the Referee Committee replied: I am not saying my English is strong, but it is enough to convey the meaning. As the tension in the program intensified, Ghiasy said that when Mehdi Taj was in the Referee Committee, Esfahaniyan requested to attend classes without taking an exam. He did not show up for the exam and said it was clear he would not pass. But he goes to overseas classes and takes someone with him each time who knows English. The last time he took Mr. Rafati with him.