FIFA's ban on pre-revolutionary Iranian flag upheld by US court - The Athletic

A Los Angeles judge upheld FIFA's ban on the pre-revolutionary Iranian flag at World Cup venues following an emergency hearing held hours before Iran's opening match against New Zealand, The Athletic reported.

The lawsuit, filed by the Institute for Voice of Liberty and Sam Kermanian, an Iran fan intending to go to the game, challenged FIFA's prohibition on the lion-and-sun flag associated with Iran's pre-1979 monarchy.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Curtis A. Kin denied the request to block the ban.

"Free speech is incredibly important, it is sacred, a bedrock of our society, but it is not without limitation, such as private actor, on private property, and as shown by previous cases, regulating in reasonable way. I deny the application," Kin said, according to The Athletic.

The report said that FIFA has deemed the flag political in nature under its stadium code of conduct, which prohibits political, offensive or discriminatory materials at World Cup venues.