Women in Iran will now be allowed into stadiums for the upcoming national football league season, according to news outlet Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).The decision to allow female fans inside football stadiums was taken by Irans Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said Mehdi Taj, head of the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI).“Women will be able to visit stadiums, and the Supreme National Security Council has made such a decision,” Taj said on Friday.Taj further added that a working committee responsible for the implementation of the project has been appointed by the SNSC. The Interior Ministry, Sports and Youth Policy Ministry, the FFIRI, and two institutions of the Ministry of Information are in the process of developing a plan for implementing the job, he said.Women in stadiums promote chastity: Ex-President of IranWomen have been banned from watching football in stadiums ever since the Islamic revolution in 1979, with clerics claiming that the presence of women in mens sports would violate the religious rules of decency.Ever since, women have been allowed into stadiums only a handful of times to watch the national team – which enjoys large support in the country – mainly under pressure from FIFA. Football is by far the most popular sport in the country, followed by wrestling and volleyball.Women have tried to enter stadiums by disguising themselves as men, donning wigs and fake beards. Their images have been shared widely in Iranian social media, and the women have been praised by most people.In 2006, then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rescinded the ban on women from entering stadiums to watch mens football, saying, “The best stands should be allocated to women and families in the stadiums in which national and important matches are being held.”“The presence of women and families in public places promotes chastity,” he added.However, that change was quickly overruled by the clerical authorities – who hold large sway over Iran – and Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Fazel Lankarani refused to meet with the President for several weeks over this decision.Women cant watch football games in stadiums in Iran.Sahar Khodayari or Blue Girl was an Esteghlal F.C fan who sneaked into a game of AFC champions League and was arrested and sentenced to prison.She afterwards sat herself on fire in protest.#ENGIRN #Qatar2022 #SayTheirNames pic.twitter.com/MCE7VKWZFD— Parham (@dapersiandude2) November 21, 2022Things came to a head in 2019 when 29-year-old Sahar Khodayari, a fan of Esteghlal F.C., set herself on fire before an Iranian court after being sentenced to six months of prison for trying to enter the Azadi Stadium. This event caused widespread condemnation, and Iran was forced to allow female spectators for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers held in the country.
