ZURICH (AP) — FIFA has appointed a security expert for a “high risk” 2014 World Cup qualifying match between Iran and Bahrain next month. The governing body says assigning a security official is standard for such games.
The Oct. 11 game in Tehran follows months of protests in Bahrain by a Shiite majority that says it is discriminated against by the kingdom’s Sunni monarchy. Bahrain has expressed concerns that Iran’s Shiite political leadership is encouraging protests.
Some Bahraini national team players were among 150 athletes and sports officials detained for allegedly demonstrating.
Iran and Bahrain share the lead in their qualifying group with four points from two games. The group includes Qatar and Indonesia.
