The idea floated by a businessman close to Donald Trump to replace Iran with Italy at the upcoming football world cup should be kicked out of the arena. Paolo Zampolli, in the news recently for getting his partner deported while fighting a custody battle with her, pushed for including the four-time winners even after they failed to qualify for the third consecutive world cup. Though Fifa denied Iran’s earlier request to relocate its matches from the US to co-hosts Mexico, the warring nation’s sports ministry this week signalled full preparedness to play the tournament. The world is salivating at the prospect of Iran and the US playing each other in the round of 32 coming true on July 3. Sports, as Orwell noted, is war without the guns.