The lranian Football Federation (FFI) clashed with fans in 2009 over the possible banning of one of the country’s top TV football programmes – and lost a ballot by text message. Adel Ferdosipour, the country’s most famous football commentator and presenter of the programme Navad (90), faced being blacked out because of his on-air criticism of the federation’s efficiency. Ferdosipour even dared to conduct a text survey of viewers asking whether people were in favour of or against the programme and won a 97 per cent vote in favour. More than two million people sent messages. FFI is affiliated to the government sports organisation and run by a deputy of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
