Will Stadiums Open Their Doors to Women?

Last week, the newspaper Shahrvand reported that the President has instructed the Ministry of Sports to resolve the issue of women's attendance at stadiums. Rabab Shahrian, the Deputy for Women's Sports at the Ministry of Sports and Youth, stated that her discussions with the Minister of Sports have resulted in permission for women to enter stadiums. According to her, special seating areas will be designated for women, special tickets will be sold, and a separate entrance will be arranged for them. The story began when it was previously decided that Iran would host the World Youth Volleyball Championships, but on November 18, the International Volleyball Federation announced that this hosting would be given to Argentina. An official from this federation stated that as long as women cannot attend stadiums in Iran, no new hosting will be given to Iran. However, this is not the first time the absence of Iranian women in stadiums has faced backlash. Nasrin Afzali, a women's rights activist residing in the U.S., discusses the background of the ban on women's attendance, saying, "It can be said that until ten years ago, there was no law prohibiting women from entering stadiums, but the number of women who went to stadiums was low. After the football team's victories, women wanted to participate in various welcome ceremonies and celebrations in the streets and stadiums but faced opposition. The Islamic Republic realized that women would also be part of this celebration, which was contrary to the government's agenda. Therefore, initially, they opposed it without any specific system and only through coercive force. But after a while, they completely banned the mixing of women in stadiums and in sports through the law of chastity and hijab. Then the Stadium Campaign emerged, or the White Scarves, which protested that this is a civic right and cannot be denied to women for any reason." Nasrin Afzali mentions that the Stadium Campaign has been active for over ten years and is one of the oldest campaigns in the women's movement, attracting a wide audience. This campaign has collected many petitions and sent them to various domestic and foreign institutions. They started their protests through domestic media and corresponded with domestic organizations, including the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education and various bodies related to sports and women's attendance in stadiums, writing letters and holding gatherings. However, they were always referred to another organization or told that nothing could be done. Therefore, the campaign began to correspond with international sports organizations, including FIFA and ISB, which emphasized to Iranian officials that gender equality and women's right to attend stadiums are integral to sports laws, and if Iran does not comply, it will face sanctions and penalties. According to Saghi Laghai, a journalist for Golzan website residing in the U.S., the activities of protesters against the ban on women's attendance in stadiums have been effective in both decisions: the withdrawal of hosting from Iran and the change in the Islamic Republic's stance on women's entry into stadiums. "After the ban on non-football sports, specifically volleyball, volleyball enthusiasts also entered the arena and began to act. The petitions prepared and the correspondence that took place first with domestic officials and then the protests directed at the International Volleyball Federation had a significant impact. We faced severe confrontations with protesters against the ban on women's entry into stadiums, including Ms. Ghoncheh Ghavami, who is still in prison, and this was very important for attracting global attention and focusing on this issue." Ghoncheh Ghavami, a 25-year-old woman, went to Azadi Stadium to watch the match between Iran and Italy on June 30 but was prevented from entering along with other women and was arrested, though they were released the same day. A few days later, when Ms. Ghavami returned to the detention center to retrieve her personal belongings, she was arrested again and has been in prison since then, with details of her conviction not disclosed. Following the news of Ms. Ghavami's arrest, the International Volleyball Federation paid special attention to her and her case. The heads of the federations of 200 countries wrote a letter to Hassan Rouhani demanding her release, and the President of the International Volleyball Federation also mentioned this case several times in his speeches, calling for her freedom. The letter from the President of the International Federation to Hassan Rouhani was written after the Women's Rights Council of the European Union requested this federation to pressure Iran for Ghoncheh Ghavami's release. Nasrin Afzali, in response to whether this small window said to be opening for Iranian women could lead to their presence in football stadiums, states: "Yes, we will definitely continue to document and report these discriminations with the individuals and supporters of the Stadium Campaign among officials, sports journalists, and athletes. We will not allow them to silence the Stadium Campaign with behind-the-scenes talks and empty promises or to give international organizations false hope that change will occur. Regarding sports, due to the existing global standards, there is hope that we can leverage international pressure." Roya Karimi Majd began her journalism career in Iran in 1992 and joined Radio Farda in May 2008. She produces the weekly program "Another Voice," which focuses on women's issues. In 2015, the Golden Microphone of the New York Radio Festival was awarded to the radio program "Sentegh," which was produced by Roya Karimi Majd.