The impact of Iraq’s heated political crises — which have taken on a sectarian dimension — is no longer limited to political circles and the popular protests seen in the squares of some Iraqi cities. It has reached sports stadiums as well, notably those of soccer, a popular sport in Iraq.
The media wars between supporters of various Iraqi teams — particularly between those representing Iraq’s three Kurdish provinces (Erbil, Dohuk and Sulaymaniyah) and the rest of Iraq’s teams — was once limited to waving Kurdish flags instead of Iraqi flags and vice versa. However, the dispute has now devolved to the level of attacking political figures and leaders with whom the teams are associated, in a bid to provoke players and negatively influence their emotional state.
