Just 48 hours after being eliminated from the Asian Cup, Iran sensationally claimed that Iraq must be banned from the tournament for fielding an ineligible player.
Following an incredible 3-3 draw in Canberra on Friday, Iraq defeated Iran on penalties to win their way through to a semi-final against South Korea, due to be played on Monday night in Sydney.
However, the Iran Football Federation immediately lodged a complaint with the Asian Football Confederation regarding the Iraqis' decision to play Alaa Abdul-Zahra, who tested positive for methylhexanamine whilst playing for Iranian club Tractor Sazi.
But just after 7.30pm on Sunday night it was dismissed, meaning Iraq will face South Korea as planned with Abdul-Zahra taking the field. Iran have the opportunity to appeal the decision but it would now seem too late.
"The AFC Disciplinary Committee from 2:30pm heard oral evidence from two officials of the Iran Football Federation, deliberated the matter based on its merits, and decided that the protest was unfounded," a statement read. "The protest was therefore dismissed."
Hoping to get the result of the quarter-final overturned, the Iranians had cancelled their original flights out of Australia and set up camp at a hotel in Terrey Hills on Sydney's lower north shore.
After being found positive in a random test last September, Abdul Zahra's sample was independently verified by a WADA-accredited German Sports University laboratory in Cologne. They alerted the IFF that the test was positive.
As news of Abdul Zahra's positive test for methylhexanamine – a nasal decongestant that has been marketed to athletes as an "energy-boosting dietary supplement" – came back to Iran, he had already left Tractor Sazi to join Iraqi club Al-Shorta. It is also unclear whether Al-Shorta obtained an International Transfer Certificate for his move, as required by FIFA.
However, it's also understood the IFF failed to respond to FIFA when more requests for further information from the game's governing body were forthcoming. FIFA is also known to have countered the claim of Iran that a "B" sample was forthcoming.
Iran coach Carlos Quieroz – who described the scenario as "a very bizarre and unique situation" – said the AFC repeatedly ignored the IFF's attempts for clarification on Abdul Zahra's eligibility in the lead-up to the tournament.
Copies of numerous documents allegedly sent to the AFC in recent months regarding Abdul Zahra were shown to Fairfax Media by Iranian officials on Sunday evening – the latest dated January 21, two days before their semi-final in Canberra.
A furious Queiroz also cited the precedent of the AFC overturning results, such as when Iran were penalised with a 3-0 defeat for fielding an ineligible player in a 2-0 win over Iraq during qualifiers for the 2012 Olympics.
"One thing for sure, with the regulations as we know it, it's obvious that the player was not eligible to play," Quieroz said. "All the written documentation that Iran presented to the AFC, FIFA, WADA, several times, the information and details have delivered to the right people. "It's really very strange that even with this final letter that was delivered three days before our game [against Iraq], no action was taken. The situation is bizarre. It's a little bit unique and we are now in the hands of the disciplinary committee of the AFC to decide what they should do."
The Portuguese coach said it wasn't the ideal way to try and stay in the tournament but that it was the only way justice could be served.
"This is not the normal way to move forward – we'd prefer to win the games and win our position in the next match," he said. "But it's part of the rules that when you put two teams on the pitch that everybody must play fair. If one team does not play fair, something must be done.
"In this case, it should not be the Iranian team that takes the blame for this situation. The player is not eligible. It means one team is not playing fair and if you don't play fair, you cannot take the benefits of that. If the other team violated the principles of the game, they would have to be punished, even if it was Iran."
