During a press conference, an Iranian journalist took the chance to question Tyler Adams on the United States’ history of racism. 

Tyler Adams : Iran interview | Press conference Iran

Tyler Shaan Adams is an American professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Leeds United and captains the United States national team.

Tyler Adams : Iran interview | Press conference Iran

Personal information
Full name Tyler Shaan Adams
Date of birth February 14, 1999 (age 23)
     Place of birth         Wappinger, New York, U.S.
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Position(s) Midfielder

Primarily a midfielder, Adams is capable of playing as a fullback or winger on either side of the defense or midfield.

A homegrown player of the New York Red Bulls academy, Adams turned professional with the New York Red Bulls II as a sixteen-year-old before joining the New York Red Bulls first team a season later.

Tyler Adams Iran interview 

USA captain Tyler Adams responds to a difficult line of questioning from an Iranian reporter over discrimination in the United States.

Adams, 23, defused a potentially tense line of questioning and a scolding from an Iranian reporter with a thoughtful answer that has earned him praise.

https://youtu.be/x_Y5D_4eD_E

First, he was told by the journalist that he has been pronouncing the country’s name wrong, saying “eye-ran” instead of “ee-ron.”

Then, the standout midfielder was asked about playing for a country “that has so much discrimination against Black people in its own borders.”

He handled the testy situation with grace, one day ahead of his team’s World Cup showdown with Iran on Nov. 29 that the U.S. must win in order to advance to the next round.

“There’s discrimination everywhere you go,” Adams said.

Adams, a New York native, plays professionally for Leeds United in the English Premier League and has previously played overseas in Germany.

“One thing that I’ve learned, especially from living abroad in the past years and having to fit in in different cultures and kind of assimilate into different cultures, is that in the US, we’re continuing to make progress every single day,” he said.

Tyler Adams : Iran interview | Press conference Iran

Adams, whose biological father is Black, then reflected on his own upbringing.

Press conference Iran 

During a press conference, an Iranian journalist took the chance to question Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams on the United States’ history of racism.

If Quieroz’s statements are anything to go by, many feel the narrative coming out of the West has been highly hypocritical in regards to Iran.

The reporter firstly corrected Adams’ pronunciation of ‘Iran’, which Adams apologised for at the beginning of his answer, before asking the following.

Tyler Adams : Iran interview | Press conference Iran

“Are you OK to be representing a country that has so much discrimination against Black people in its own borders?”

“There’s discrimination everywhere you go,” Adams remarked.

“One thing that I’ve learned, especially from living abroad in the past years and having to fit in in different cultures and kind of assimilate into different cultures, is that in the U.S., we’re continuing to make progress every single day.”

“Not everyone has that ease and the ability to do that, and obviously, it takes longer to understand, and through education, I think it’s super important,” he said.

“Like you just educated me now on the pronunciation of your country. So, yeah, it’s a process. I think as long as you see progress, that’s the most important thing.”

There is no doubt that the USA has many a sin to be criticised for, both within and without their borders. It is certainly understandable that other countries, especially in the Middle East, would be reluctant to hear the American opinion on matters in the region.

Equally, like anywhere else, that should not make anywhere immune from criticism. The killing of protestors in Iran is lamentable and without justification, no matter who is talking about it.

By Rishabh

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