Correction: Earlier versions of this article said soccer players Mohammad Nosrati and Sheys Rezaei had been banned for life; they are banned from play indefinitely, pending consultation with judicial authorities.

Iran's football federation imposed indefinite bans on two Persepolis players Mohammad Nosrati (L) and his teammate Sheys Rezaei for their "immoral acts" during goal celebrations. (ATTA KENARE/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)








“It is even worse to do these actions before the eyes of thousands of spectators and TV cameras,” Hosseini added.

Social values and norms have changed profoundly in Iran over the past decade, amid a rise in living standards, access to the Internet and social networking media, and more connections in general to the outside world.

The increased openness has triggered a backlash, with the country’s ruling Shiite Muslim clerics doing all they can to control public spaces and state TV and to make an example of those who step out of line. As public figures, athletes and actors have to walk a tightrope, although they are not part of the Islamic establishment.

An actress was recently sentenced to lashing for appearing in a movie without a head scarf; that punishment was later revoked. Last week, a soccer player was forced to cut his long hair on the pitch before playing in a match.

Iranian soccer stars say the authorities are overreacting to the latest indiscretion. Ali Parvin, a former Persepolis coach and a venerated figure in Iranian soccer, has spoken out against banning Nosrati and Rezaei, saying that officials should offer guidance to the players instead of punishing them.

“Come and execute them if it relieves you,” he said sarcastically.

Former national team player Mehdi Mahdavikia said Iranian media were making a big deal out of the incident.

“When I was playing in Germany, such things happened all the time,” he said.