The match between “Malavan” and Tabriz’s “Tractor” teams, which was supposed to be held on October 18 in the Iranian championship, did not take place. It is reported that the reason for this was the offensive slogans chanted by the home team's fans against Azerbaijanis.
Modern.az, citing "Tasnim", reports that during the pre-match warm-up at the stadium in Bandar-Anzali, fans chanted slogans targeting Azerbaijanis and Turks. “Tractor” captain Shoja Khalilzadeh was also subjected to insults.
In protest, the players of the Tabriz representative left the field. It is reported that the club's owner, Mohammadreza Zunuzi, instructed the team to return to the locker room.
Negotiations lasting approximately half an hour, involving referees, match representatives, and team coaches, yielded no results. The match did not start because “Tractor” players refused to return to the field.
“Tractor” management demanded that the Iranian Football Federation take strict measures against the “Malavan” club. Otherwise, it was stated that an official complaint would be sent to FIFA.
