November 5, 2011 | Sex & Society

Iranian soccer players could face public lashing

The two men in trouble for grabbing other players' butts during a soccer game in Iran may face corporal punishment for their "immoral acts."

During the game Mohammed Nosrati grabbed Sheis Rezaei's bottom. According to reports, Rezaei grabbed another player's ass in the same game. 

Because the game was being broadcast, Islamic extremists went nuts and demanded the two men be made to pay for their display. The men were then banned indefinitely from playing soccer and were fined $40,000 each.

And things could get worse. A player's “action can be considered a violation of public chastity,” Judge Valiollah Hosseini said. “The punishment of this crime is prison up to two months and 74 lashes. ... It is even worse to do these actions before the eyes of thousands of spectators and TV cameras."

Ali Parvin, a former coach, spoke out against banning Nosrati and Rezaei, saying that officials were overreacting.

“Come and execute them if it relieves you,” he said sarcastically. (Don't give them any ideas!)

Iranian soccer players could face lashing after victory groping  [The Washington Post]