Iranian Soccer Stars Face Lashing for Public Butt Grab

Two Iranian soccer players could face lashing and imprisonment for their “immoral acts” during a nationally televised game on Saturday, reports The Advocate.

Mohammad Nostrati and Sheys Rezaei—soccer stars who play for the Tehran-based team, Persepolis—were immediately suspended from Iran’s football federation and fined $40,000 after Nostrati grabbed Rezaei’s butt (“as millions watched”) in celebration of one of their teammates making the winning goal, effectively ending the team’s losing streak.

Regardless of whether the butt grab made people feel uncomfortable or threatened, it could be considered a “violation of [Iran's] public chastity,” punishable by two months in prison and 74-strike lashing administered in the same soccer arena where the gluteus maximus situation occurred (whoa, harsh).

Watch the video below and read more about the Iranian soccer players over at The Advocate.