Iran (IMNA) - In an interview with Iran daily, Masoumeh Ebtekar said the Iranian women have been finally allowed to enter into football stadiums after two years of all-out efforts to prepare the necessary infrastructures.
She said more than 4,000 tickets have been sold to women for Iran’s upcoming match against Cambodia in a home game of the FIFA 2022 qualifying competition, noting that although the number of the seats allocated to women is very low in comparison to the 100,000 seats available at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium, this is yet the result of “positive steps” that have been taken in recent years.
Ebtekar said the administration has been struggling to fulfill the women’s demands in compliance with the law, religion, and regulations, citing a recently-approved law that allows children with an Iranian mother and a non-Iranian father to obtain the country’s citizenship.
Stressing that the sports arenas must be among the healthiest parts of the society, she also called on the spectators and football fans to take the presence of women in the stadiums into consideration.
In September, president of football’s world governing body, FIFA, said his organization has been assured by Iran that women will be allowed to attend men’s football matches from the next international game.
Gianni Infantino said this important move has been long overdue. “We have been assured that as of the next international game of Iran, which is to be played on the 10th of October, women will be allowed to enter football stadiums. This is something very important.”
Sahar Khodayari, dubbed “Blue Girl” for the colors of her favorite team Esteghlal, died in hospital after she set herself on fire outside a court where she feared being jailed for six months, having attended the match in disguise as a man.
Khodayari’s death has caused widespread outrage in Iran and internationally, prompting calls on social media for Iran’s football federation to be suspended or banned by FIFA.
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