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Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit

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Iran player’s gun gesture was just a goal celebration. Stop projecting your politics on it

From Gabriel Batistuta's machine-gun routine to Robbie Keane's finger-gun salute, guns aren't foreign to goal celebrations. Backlash against Iran’s Mohammad Mohebi is excessive.

A massive row has erupted after Iran’s Mohammad Mohebi celebrated with a gun gesture against New Zealand at the FIFA World Cup. The match ended with a 2-2 draw on Tuesday. While this gesture is not new to football, the timing of Mohebi’s celebration has coloured it politically. Outrage has even led to a petition demanding that Iran and Mohebi be expelled from the tournament.

But the backlash is a bit excessive. Several players have historically used the gun-firing celebration. From Argentine Gabriel Batistuta’s machine-gun routine in the 1990s to Irish Robbie Keane’s iconic finger-gun salute and Edinson Cavani’s sniper-style celebrations—guns have long played a crucial part in the celebrations of a footballer.

Batistuta’s celebration became one of the most recognisable........

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