EU member wants Iran out of World Cup
Heaton-Harris wants to punish team for president's controversial remarks
 | Member of the the Iranian national soccer team participate in their first World Cup training session in Spiez, Switzerland on Monday. |
Peter Schneider / AP |
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BRUSSELS, Belgium - A British member of the European Parliament is seeking support within the EU legislature for a letter to FIFA demanding that Iran be thrown out of the World Cup, the office of Conservative member Chris Heaton-Harris said Thursday.
World soccer's governing body has previously rejected calls by European politicians for Iran to be kicked out of the tournament because of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comments calling the Holocaust a "myth'' and calling for Israel's destruction.
Heaton-Harris' office said he was seeking cross-party support for the letter which he hoped to send to FIFA next week.
However, it was unclear how many would sign. The European Union's assembly has no legal power to impose a decision on FIFA or the authorities of Germany, which is hosting the tournament that kicks off on June 9.
FIFA has repeatedly insisted it will not mix politics with sports by taking action against Iran, which is scheduled to play Portugal, Mexico and Angola in the first round.
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