Human Rights Watch: Iran Should Allow Women to Watch Football in Stadiums After World Cup

Human Rights Watch says Iranian Islamic Republic authorities should ensure that women and girls can continue to watch all future men’s sports competitions in the country, just as they allowed women to sit alongside men in the stadium during the last two matches of Iran’s national football team.

According to Sarah Lee Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, the recent experience shows how superficial many of the justifications for keeping women out of stadiums have been.

Human Rights Watch has previously held negotiations with the heads of international football and volleyball federations to pressure the Islamic Republic of Iran to grant women permission to enter stadiums.

Since the beginning of the revolution, the Islamic Republic of Iran has prohibited women from attending competitions such as football.

Over the past two decades, officials from both reformist and Ahmadinezhad administrations have promised women’s presence in stadiums, but opposition from religious authorities and the leader of the Islamic Republic has prevented this.

In recent months, even as Saudi Arabia has allowed women in stadiums, Iranian girls are asking why they are not permitted to attend.

Government officials say stadium facilities are not yet ready for women’s presence, a claim that is disputed by others.

Source: Voice of America