Iran's Judiciary Sets Conditions for Women's Attendance at Stadiums

Hadi Sadqi, the cultural deputy of Iran's Judiciary, stated that women can attend stadiums in Iran like men if they adhere to 'morality and religious issues,' asserting that their presence in sports venues is 'not inherently problematic.' His remarks come after a limited number of Iranian women attended a friendly match between Iran and Bolivia, which was prompted by FIFA's threats. Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, the Attorney General of Iran, criticized this action, labeling it a 'sin' and threatening legal repercussions if such movements continue. Nonetheless, Hadi Sadqi's comments on Sunday, December 23, appear to indicate a slight shift in the Judiciary's stance regarding women's presence in stadiums, as he declared that their attendance is permissible. He emphasized the need to observe two conditions: 'morality and Sharia,' citing potential 'issues' that could arise from women's attendance. He mentioned concerns about seeing 'naked bodies of the opposite sex for non-mahrams' and the 'immoral and inappropriate atmosphere of stadiums' for women. Sadqi stated, 'Seeing the naked body of the opposite sex for non-mahrams is not permissible; this is a religious ruling, but it may not apply in cases where there is a significant distance between spectators.' He also highlighted the need to maintain 'the dignity' of women in stadiums, suggesting that the prevailing atmosphere could be 'immoral' and that a Muslim woman's presence in such a setting where her dignity could be compromised is not permissible. He proposed 'managing stadiums and creating a healthy environment' as a solution. The debate over the 'permissibility' of women's presence in stadiums has previously occurred between Ali Motahari, a member of parliament, and Mohammad Jafar Montazeri. Motahari responded to Montazeri's comments about the 'unlawfulness' of women's presence in all stadiums by stating that while women's attendance at events such as swimming, wrestling, basketball, and men's volleyball is 'religiously problematic,' it seems that there should be no religious issue with women's presence in football stadiums. However, many Friday prayer leaders and clerics in Iran explicitly oppose women's attendance at stadiums. For instance, Nasir Makarem Shirazi, a Shia cleric, described women's presence in stadiums as causing 'shame' and told officials that videos of their attendance 'clearly showed that you will never be able to control the quality of their presence.' Meanwhile, Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, stated, 'What is the problem with allocating part of a sports stadium to women, which does not contradict the law, Sharia, or the resolution of the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council?' Abdullah Haji Sadqi, a representative of the Supreme Leader in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also remarked on October 21 that 'resistance against women's presence in stadiums has costs, but it must be done.' Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former President of Iran, issued a directive allowing women into stadiums in 2006, but it was not implemented due to opposition from clerics. In recent years, several women's rights activists and social figures have worked to lift the ban on women's attendance at stadiums, including sending a letter to FIFA, urging it to compel the Islamic Republic to end the prohibition. FIFA's Human Rights Advisory Council has also called for a deadline to be set for Iran to lift the ban on women's entry into stadiums.