Human Rights Watch Calls for Cancellation of Iran's Volleyball Hosting

On Thursday, Human Rights Watch issued a statement urging the International Volleyball Federation to prevent Iran from hosting volleyball competitions next year. The human rights organization called for an end to the ban on women's attendance at sports stadiums in Iran and urged the International Volleyball Federation to take serious action in this regard. In its statement, Human Rights Watch described the prohibition of women and girls from attending volleyball games as a blatant discrimination against women that has 'brought shame to this sport.' Hadi Ghaemi, spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign in Iran, stated in New York regarding the Human Rights Watch statement and the role of the campaign: 'Today, Human Rights Watch has launched a broad campaign in support of Iranian women's request to attend sports stadiums, particularly volleyball stadiums, which has been widely prevalent in Iran over the past few years. In particular, Human Rights Watch, in collaboration with various organizations including our own, the International Human Rights Campaign, is requesting the International Volleyball Federation to fulfill its promise from last year, which was acknowledged by some in the Iranian government, that the rights of men and women to watch sports competitions would be equal and that stadiums would be opened to women for volleyball matches. This campaign is focused on the International Volleyball Federation.' However, will Human Rights Watch's campaign for allowing Iranian women into stadiums yield results, and will the authorities of the Islamic Republic allow women to attend stadiums under the influence of such global pressures? Mehdi Rostampour, a sports expert at Radio Farda in Denmark, is not very optimistic about this. He stated, 'What is certain is that it has not been effective so far, neither in volleyball nor in any other sport. If this happens from now on, it would certainly make many sports enthusiasts in Iran happy, but it would only be a cause for happiness if it opens the way for women to enter stadiums. However, in general, non-sporting institutions, including political, human rights, NGOs, and organizations, have no impact on the decision-making of international federations in various sports.' The highest body that can do this is the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which can request this from its member federations. And if it does, it will not be limited to one or two specific sports; it will include all sports that women should be allowed to enter stadiums. Unless, considering this body which is under the United Nations, it can at least be covered in a way that would compel Iran to make a different decision in this regard. Meanwhile, on the other hand, Hadi Ghaemi, spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign in Iran, is very optimistic about the outcome of this campaign: 'I am very optimistic in this regard. The International Volleyball Federation is an organization that has committed itself in its charter to equal rights for men and women. It even agreed on this a few months ago; it just did not follow up. With the start of this campaign and the widespread pressures we expect to come from it, the International Volleyball Federation has no other choice; otherwise, it will violate the Olympic Charter and its own charter, and I do not think it can defend itself in any way or show any reaction in this regard.' Human Rights Watch, in its statement, referred to Niloufar Ardalan, who recently could not participate in futsal competitions in Malaysia due to her husband's refusal to allow her, and described such actions as blatant discrimination against women, calling for an end to them in Iran.