Iranian women attend first soccer match in 40 years

[webfact]

Iranian women attend first soccer match in 40 years

By Simon Evans

 

Iranian women attend Iran's World Cup Asian qualifier against Cambodia at the Azadi stadium in Tehran, Iran October 10, 2019. Nazanin Tabatabaee/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

 

(Reuters) - Iranian women watched the country's national soccer team for the first time in 40 years on Thursday, celebrating their long-awaited access to the national stadium but also paying tribute to the 'Blue Girl' fan who died last month.

 

Iran, one of the traditional powerhouses of Asian football with a passionate fan-base, won their World Cup qualifying match against Cambodia 14-0 but the one-sided game will be remembered much more for the scenes in the stands.

 

Waving flags, blowing vuvuzela plastic horns and displaying the team colours of red, green and white, over 3,000 women watched from a special women-only section in the Azadi Stadium.

 

Women have been banned from watching men's games in Iran since shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution with only a few exceptions made for small groups on rare occasions.

 

But under pressure from world soccer's governing body FIFA and women's rights campaigners, Iranian authorities earmarked tickets for women to watch Thursday's game.

 

FIFA had sent a delegation to Tehran to ensure that women were allowed to attend the game following the death last month of Sahar Khodayari, who set herself on fire to protest against her arrest for trying to get into a match.

 

Dubbed "Blue Girl" online for her favourite team Esteghlal’s colours, Khodayari had feared being jailed for six months by the Islamic Revolutionary Court for trying to enter a stadium dressed as a man.

 

Video footage of the crowd at Thursday's match, posted on twitter, showed some supporters chanting "Blue Girl, Blue Girl". Other video showed supporters chanting "FIFA, Thank You".

 

EMOTIONAL CROWD

While Iran's dominant performance ensured little drama on the field, there was no shortage of emotion in the crowd.

 

"We have an incredible feeling as the first Iranian women entering the stadium," said one fan, interviewed by local television.

 

"Inshallah from now on all of our friends will also be able to come. Because we had restrictions this is very appealing to us otherwise it’s not something special," she said.

 

Another video interview, distributed on social media, showed a woman fan inside the stadium, on the brink of tears with an Iranian flag over her shoulders and painted on her face.

 

"It was really a very big wish. Really, thank you for letting us come. I’m shaking. Thank you," she said.

 

Selling tickets for a women's only section has been criticised by some campaigners who would prefer women to be able to attend matches with their male family members.

 

Campaigners also want to see women given access to all games, not just World Cup qualifiers which come under the direct responsibility of FIFA. Iranian women are not currently able to attend men's games in their domestic club league.

 

SPARSELY ATTENDED

The game was sparsely attended but an extra area, next to the designated women's section, was opened for what appeared to be women who did not have tickets for the arranged area.

 

At the end of the game, the Iranian players ran over to the women's section to show their appreciation for their support.

 

Government spokesman Ali Rabiei said he viewed the presence of women at the stadium as a positive step, according to the official IRNA news agency.

“The government has a positive view of the presence of women in stadiums,” Rabiei said.

 

“The infrastructure of Azadi stadium is ready for the presence of women. But the cultural and mental infrastructure must be ready,” he added

While campaigners have welcomed women being granted access for Thursday's game, it is unclear if such scenes will become the norm in Iran.

 

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has urged Iranian authorities to open up stadiums to women for all games, not just World Cup qualifiers.

 

The sport's global governing body sent officials to Tehran to monitor access for women at the match and said it will continue to press for their inclusion.

Infantino issued a statement after Thursday's game saying the occasion had been a "very positive step forward".

 

"There can be no stopping or turning back now," he said. "The passion, joy and enthusiasm (the fans) showed today was remarkable to see and encourages us even more to continue the path we have started. History teaches us that progress comes in stages and this is just the beginning of a journey," he added.

 

"Consequently, FIFA now looks more than ever towards a future when ALL girls and women wishing to attend football matches in IR Iran will be free to do so, and in a safe environment."

 

The FIFA president paid tribute to "all of the Iranian girls and women who courageously stood and are standing up for their rights. FIFA fully supports them and will stand by them."

 

(Reporting by Simon Evans; Additional reporting by Babak Dehghanpisheh in Geneva; Editing by Catherine Evans, Ken Ferris and Toby Davis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-11

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[Kinnock]

Another Islamic country almost makes it out of the Bronze Age - will this breathtaking progress never end?

[canuckamuck]

3 hours ago, Kinnock said:

Another Islamic country almost makes it out of the Bronze Age - will this breathtaking progress never end?

Iran was a long way from the bronze age but they time traveled back.

Good to see the Persian ladies having some fun.

[Emdog]

50 minutes ago, car720 said:

The real problem here though is that women will never relinquish anything.  Think back to WW2.  They want to be equal to you but see what happens if you want to be equal to them.

Who says dinosaurs went extinct? I present exhibit A.

[The Deerhunter]

6 minutes ago, rhyddid said:

Iran several times proved to be more democratic and liberal of neighbor Saudi !

I wouldn't want to be a woman in any Islamic country.  Saudi is only at last allowing some to drive cars unchaperoned.  Big deal!!!

[Sujo]

I was at a club in kl having a few beers chatting to 3 iranian girls.

 

I said i didnt think you were allowed to drink or go with men.

 

One smiled and said 'but that is all we do'. Had a great fun night.

 

Have met quite a few iranian men and women over the years and have found them to be such nice people. Pity they are suppressed by their govt.

[ivor bigun]

She beat me have never seen one

Sent from my SM-A720F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[bristolboy]

Set To Take Over Tech: 70% Of Iran's Science And Engineering Students Are Women

 

70% of of Iran's science and engineering students are women, and in a small, but promising community of startups, they’re being encouraged to play an even bigger role.

The common myth about women in Iran is that they are seen, but not heard, that they’re not permitted to drive, that they are second-class citizens, and that entrepreneurship and positions of power are out of reach. These notions are wrong. 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/amyguttman/2015/12/09/set-to-take-over-tech-70-of-irans-science-and-engineering-students-are-women/#64396ca844de

 

[puipuitom]

6 hours ago, The Deerhunter said:

I wouldn't want to be a woman in any Islamic country.  Saudi is only at last allowing some to drive cars unchaperoned.  Big deal!!!

As a woman… I would not want to live in ANY muslim country. 

Kept obedient, and after presentation in a black sack, back to their life-long prison, called: "home".

[bristolboy]

15 minutes ago, puipuitom said:

As a woman… I would not want to live in ANY muslim country. 

Kept obedient, and after presentation in a black sack, back to their life-long prison, called: "home".

The majority of students in Iranian universities are women. I've been to lots of muslim countries. Women in black sacks were the exceptions rather than the rule.

[puipuitom]

40 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

The majority of students in Iranian universities are women. I've been to lots of muslim countries. Women in black sacks were the exceptions rather than the rule.

For those few women, of which theri master ( sorry.. father) allowes them not only to go to primary, even secondary and… Uni.. yes. How many ? ?

[gk10002000]

Oh you mean since the ayatollah takeover.  I remember a few TV movies back then that were quite interesting.  Now I am not defending the Shah.  But in the movie there were a few American families living in Iran.  They were friendly with the neighbors, often went out to dinner, the wives shopping etc.  The Americans got up one morning during the "revolution" and all the Iranian ladies in the neighborhood overnight had thrown away their western style clothing and were now wearing veils and such.  They all shunned the Americans and walked away from them.  I thought it was portrayed quite well.

[gk10002000]

8 hours ago, Sujo said:

I was at a club in kl having a few beers chatting to 3 iranian girls.

 

I said i didnt think you were allowed to drink or go with men.

 

One smiled and said 'but that is all we do'. Had a great fun night.

 

Have met quite a few iranian men and women over the years and have found them to be such nice people. Pity they are suppressed by their govt.

Tons of "arabs" near NANA and that so called "Arab Street".  No idea from what countries.  Really can't see what the attraction for them is.  I am sure the men are out and about cavorting and boozing it up. 

[The Deerhunter]

On 10/12/2019 at 4:31 AM, bristolboy said:

The majority of students in Iranian universities are women. I've been to lots of muslim countries. Women in black sacks were the exceptions rather than the rule.

I have  a married couple friends who visited Turkey not so many years ago which is considered to be reasonably relaxed and they wondered where all the women were. Everywhere they went, a very small proportion of women in view.

Edited October 12, 2019 by The Deerhunter

[Nyezhov]

Gee sounds like Iran is loosening up. Maybe they will now just imprison gays instead of hanging them off cranes or throwing them off buildings. That should really cement the left's love of their regime.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 12, 2019 by Nyezhov

[Nyezhov]

On 10/12/2019 at 1:08 AM, gk10002000 said:

Tons of "arabs" near NANA and that so called "Arab Street".  No idea from what countries.  Really can't see what the attraction for them is.  I am sure the men are out and about cavorting and boozing it up. 

I like it when some fat rober and his burka babe push a baby stroller with some kid in it down Sukhumvit past ladyboys at 3 a.m. it's always a what the hell moment.

Edited October 12, 2019 by Nyezhov