Women in Stadium (Discussion Thread)

[Leicester City]

They just allowed the families in again. People's presssure worked.

Khalah migan "family" Irania engad khalak mizanan

[Tehranto]

IRAN WOMEN'S ACTIVIST SAYS BLOCKED FROM PROTESTING AT RUSSIA WORLD CUP

Maryam Qashqaei Shojaei planned to raise a banner to protest Iran's ban on women attending stadium matches


BEIRUT, June 20 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - An Iranian women's activist said she was stripped of a banner at the World Cup in Russia on Wednesday and blocked from a stadium for two hours after an earlier demonstration drew international headlines.

Maryam Qashqaei Shojaei said she was held for two hours by security officials at the main stadium in Kazan ahead of the match between Iran and Spain, having planned to raise a banner to protest Iran's ban on women attending stadium matches.

"When I was trying to get in with my banner security told me I can't take it in," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Kazan.

"I showed them my approval. They searched me and held me two hours and took the banner."

Anton Lisin, a spokesman for Russia's World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC), said he was aware of an incident involving Shojaei but had no further details.

A spokeswoman for FIFA said world football's governing body was looking into the matter as were the LOC and Russian public security authorities.

"We can confirm that banners supporting female presence in the stadiums in IR Iran were approved by FIFA and the LOC through the formal procedure ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and have already been displayed in the match Morocco vs IR Iran in Saint Petersburg," the spokeswoman said in emailed comments.

"The banners are considered by FIFA to express a social appeal as opposed to a political slogan and were therefore not prohibited under the relevant regulations."

Shojaei made headlines during Iran's first match against Morocco on Friday when she raised a banner in the St. Petersburg stadium with the slogan: "Support Iranian women to attend stadiums #NoBan4Women".

Ahead of the tournament - which is taking place in 11 cities and runs until July 15 - Shojaei launched an online petition urging FIFA President Gianni Infantino to put pressure on Iran to end the ban.

The Islamic Republic has long barred women from attending male soccer matches and other sports fixtures, partly to protect them from hearing fans swear.

Infantino said in May that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had told him there were plans to allow women to attend matches in the country soon.

In April, female football fans donned fake beards and wigs to attend a major game in Tehran's Azadi Stadium.

The Iranian group OpenStadiums, which is campaigning for women to be allowed to attend sports fixtures, said some women were arrested near the stadium in March during the Esteghlal-Persepolis match.

Iran's team captain Masoud Shojaei said on Tuesday that the World Cup was the wrong place to discuss the issue, although he has previously backed lifting the ban, according to media reports in Iran.

Saudi Arabia last year overturned a ban on women watching sporting events, one of a series of reforms in the deeply conservative Sunni Muslim kingdom. (Reporting By Heba Kanso, Writing By Kieran Guilbert, Editing By Belinda Goldsmith and claire Cozens. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org)

http://news.trust.org/item/20180620193756-438g6/

[Irandoust]

As long as this regime continues to exist, there will be no reform on anything significant in our country. The only way to have a reform would be through a referendum after a new and a moderate constitution has been written. And that can only happen once this islamic regime meets its total end.

[Tehranto]

Sergio Ramos supports Iranian women going to stadium - nice gesture by him!!

[Rooyintan]

Females makeup half of Iran's population, they deserve to watch Team Melli matches live at the stadiums. They are our daughters, our sisters and our mothers. They deserve respect. After all I suggest that those sexists who oppose their attendance at Iran's stadiums be banned from stadiums instead.

Women's presence at Team Melli games is very vital as it will motivate and encourage our Team Melli players to do better and achieve good results. Viva Iran.

[KC McElroy]

I remember we had a member named Rumi who used to claim that women aren't smart enough to know where to go and where not to go and thus he had to decide for them.

[Rooyintan]

I remember we had a member named Rumi who used to claim that women aren't smart enough to know where to go and where not to go and thus he had to decide for them.

I wonder if he studied in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Pakistan or Pakhtoonestan?

[AIrani]

The resistance and speaking this issue must continue. The more questions/discussions, the better chance for a change.

[bozghaleh]

I wonder if he studied in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Pakistan or Pakhtoonestan?

No need to go to those god-forsaken places when you can get a comparable education in hozeye elmiyeye qom.

[Tehranto]

At this rate, women will be able to ride bicycles by 2074

[Tehranto]

Reforms!

Manager of Tehran's Azadi Sports Complex has been relieved of his duties, says he was let go because he let women in the Stadium. (Women were recently allowed to enter Azadi Stadium as spectators for the first time since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.)

https://twitter.com/MehrnazSamimi/st...55648482193409

[St_Mark]

"It's a good thing for families to enter the stadiums,"

معاون رئیس جمهور اعلام کرد:

شورای تامین مجوز ورود خانواده ها را صادر کرد

معاون رئیس جمهور در امور زنان و خانواده می گوید شورای تامین مجوز حضور خانواده ها در بازی های فوتبال را در تهران و سایر شهرها صادر کرده است.

Not limited to Tehran.

Esfandyar Batmanghelidj Retweeted

Reza Khaasteh @Khaaasteh 12m12 minutes agoMore



#Iran VP for Women Affairs @ebtekarm says permission for Iranian women to go to stadiums has been issued by the Security Council, and does not just apply to Tehran. The permission was issued after an order by President Rouhani, and the green light given by Guardian Council

[eerooni]

This is Islamic Iran for you today, we debate for years on pathetic trivial things like 'ALLOWING' women into Stadiums! what a disaster this regime is!!!

[sirvan]

This is Islamic Iran for you today, we debate for years on pathetic trivial things like 'ALLOWING' women into Stadiums! what a disaster this regime is!!!

You have to be pretty naive to think it is only the regime that does not want women in football stadiums, a big part of Iranian people supports this as well. It is a cultural issue, but the good thing is that cultures change and evolve, but that takes time.

[Tehranto]

You have to be pretty naive to think it is only the regime that does not want women in football stadiums, a big part of Iranian people supports this as well. It is a cultural issue, but the good thing is that cultures change and evolve, but that takes time.