Mahsa Amini honored on Brazilian women’s WC team’s plane

The Brazilian national women’s football team, on their way to the 2023 World Cup in Australia, arrived in Brisbane aboard a plane that paid tribute to Iranian human rights protesters Mahsa Amini.

The aircraft featured the faces of Amir Nasr-Azadani and Mahsa Amini, symbols of anti-government demonstrations in Iran, on its tail upon landing.

In addition to the portraits, the plane displayed messages advocating for women’s rights and freedom of speech, such as “No woman should be forced to cover her head” and “No man should be hanged for saying this,” prominently on its side.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) clarified that it had no involvement in the messages displayed on the plane. The CBF explained that they had chartered the private aircraft and that the responsibility for the messages rested with the plane’s owner.

The charter plane is owned by Argentine film producer Enrique Piñeyro, according to Australian broadcaster SBS.

The protests in Iran were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in September of the previous year. Amini, a young woman, was detained by Iran’s morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly.

Her tragic death ignited nationwide demonstrations, shedding light on the mistreatment of women and drawing attention to longstanding economic and political grievances in Iran. The Iranian regime responded by forcefully suppressing the protests, which posed a significant challenge to the ruling clerical regime.

Amir Nasr-Azadani, a prominent Iranian footballer, has been accused of involvement in the killing of three security officers during protests in Isfahan. He has been charged with rioting against authorities, a crime that carries the death penalty under Iran’s penal code.

Nasr-Azadani has already received a 26-year prison sentence. By featuring their faces on the plane, a strong symbol of solidarity with the Iranian protesters and their fight for human rights is conveyed.

In the upcoming 2023 Women’s World Cup, Brazil is placed in Group F alongside France, Jamaica, and Panama. Their campaign will commence on July 24 in Adelaide, while the tournament itself starts on July 20.

Recently, FIFA announced that team captains in the Women’s World Cup would be allowed to wear armbands representing various social causes, including gender equality, inclusion, and peace. This decision underscores FIFA’s commitment to using women’s football as a platform to promote important social issues.

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