What benefit does Abbas Abdi see for the government in politicizing a football victory?
Abbas Abdi says it was a mistake to take the players to meet the president from the start.
Of course, under normal circumstances, such a meeting would not have been an issue, and perhaps it had happened in previous instances. However, political planners should have considered that in the country’s current protest conditions, this meeting could be perceived as political exploitation and turn the football event from a national occurrence into a political event, especially amid protests.
The official policy did not gain anything from this because even if you had won and politically defeated some people internally, it would still be your own defeat. These are the country’s children. What benefit is imagined from politicizing a football victory for the government and official policy unless it leads to national unity and cohesion?
The official behavior in this match created the impression that decision-makers are desperate and looking to cling to a victory, even if temporary, in sports.