Sadr about football: I do not like it, but I call for its development in Iraq

Reuters

Sadr leader Muqtada al-Sadr on Tuesday commented on the opening ceremony of the West Asia Championship in the Iraqi province of Karbala and said that his attitude to the situation in the West Indies was the same. Regarding football was "a waste of time, health and money".

"Gambling is a waste of time, but I do not go beyond the view of those who see it as an outlet for young people, so it is necessary to reform its reality and organize only informal or semi-official competitions, but also events of the Asian Cup or the Gulf Cup, "he said.

He added: "Football in Iraq is a constant answer, like all things without exception." For me it is better not to have Iraq as a national team to see the Iraqi team in last place in the ranking of Arabs and Asians.

Al-Sadr highlighted the opening of the West Asian Championship in Karbala, saying: "The opening could have been moderate so as not to undermine modesty and not to remove the freedoms of the people. young people, and the publication of denunciations and violations of terrible extremism would encourage young people to replace football with bars and clubs. " .

He continued: "Moderation does not mean that we are under the weight of holiness and that I do not pretend to make it a pretext for dissolution and dilution, the opening does not even all saddened, but what saddens me is the intellectual and ideological conflict between politicians and the people. "

Iraq hosts the West Asian Championships from July 30th to August 14th. The first Iraqi, Lebanese, Syrian, Palestinian and Syrian group match will take place in Karbala, south of the capital.

Source: RT