Not Accepting Failures!

We have becomes accustomed to failure. Whatever the reasons, one can notice that Iranians have been losing their traditional and historic self confidence. Mexicans who played a soccer game against Iran last week and won say Iranians looked sad.

Iran’s national soccer team is a team that has witnessed harsh and difficult days and stepped into the World Series isolated. Yes, the faces comprising its team looked sad and heavy. In a way, it was the only team that did not feel welcomed. Until as recently as a month ago there was plenty of talk about stopping Iran’s team from participating in the games altogether, something that generated a lot of heat inside Iran.

An Iranian president who has turned Iran into one of the most isolated countries in the Middle East and has presented a distorted picture of Iran to the world, is today witness of a people who do not view soccer or football like the people of other countries do. To Iranians it may be a ninety minute window to take a look at the world and also an opportunity to present what they stand for to the world. Unfortunately, what is displayed is not the cultural and social heritage of a people, but a reflection of their leaders and politicians.

Whether we like it or not, may wish to view us through the same prism that has been used by the likes of Ahmadinejad. When people’s opportunities are trumped under the weight of international isolation, disregard by wrong domestic decisions and politicians, they create precedence and become customary, even pushing a ball across the soccer field does not come easily.

Even those who had hopes in the team and watched the players, did not expect a miracle from the 11 players. We need to accept some of the realities around us. Realities that show us that failure and defeat are becoming part of our culture. Something that in the political realm has been called “drinking the cup of poison” in Iran, as worded by the late ayatollah Khomeini when accepting the UN cease fire to end the 8-year Iran-Iraq war. Even if our pride presents the facts differently.
We cannot believe that we can be defeated that easily and pushed off the field. We cannot accept not be visible and not be counted in. We cannot believe that we are judged through the words or deeds of our leaders or politicians.

(Photo:Iran's Anderanik Teymourian reacts after their Group D World Cup 2006 soccer match against Angola in Leipzig June 21, 2006. FIFA RESTRICTION - NO MOBILE USE REUTERS/Shaun Best (GERMANY)