Makarem Shirazi: Videos of Women's Presence in Stadiums Led to Scandal

As some Friday prayer leaders protested against the presence of women in stadiums, Nasser Makarem Shirazi, a Shia cleric, described the released videos on this matter as causing "scandal." According to IRNA, Mr. Makarem Shirazi stated that "the scenes and videos of women's presence in stadiums led to scandal." He addressed the officials, adding that these videos "clearly showed that you will never be able to control the quality of their presence." This Shia cleric mentioned: "A newspaper wrote that we are willing to be labeled as backward, but we do not want to witness the presence of women in this manner in stadiums." Mr. Makarem Shirazi referred to the newspaper 'Jomhouri Eslami,' which had written: "Some will accuse us of being backward to further their own agendas, but we prefer to be labeled as backward than to witness the degradation of the Muslim woman's dignity." He also stated: "In the past, traditional sports were promoted in the country, which was, in its own way, a class of ethics." Mr. Makarem Shirazi and several other Shia clerics have previously opposed women's presence in stadiums multiple times. On Wednesday, he also urged government officials not to distract the public with the issue of women's presence in stadiums and to think about realities. A day before these statements, Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, had said: "What is wrong with dedicating part of a sports stadium to women, which does not contradict the law, Sharia, or the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council's resolution?" Meanwhile, several Friday prayer leaders protested against government officials' statements on this issue. Among them, Mohammad Saeedi, the Friday prayer leader of Qom, stated that "it is unbecoming" for an official to speak against the positions of clerics. Additionally, Mir Ahmadreza Hajati, the temporary Friday prayer leader of Ahvaz, said: "Those who lean towards compromise are trying to distract the public; they have prioritized women's entry into stadiums." He added: "But everyone, including those who lean towards compromise with America, should know that their plans are baseless and they will certainly face backlash from this nation." In the match between Iran's Persepolis and Japan's Kashima Antlers held last Saturday, a select number of women were present. According to reports, the Iranian government conceded to the presence of these women in stadiums after pressure from FIFA. Meanwhile, Gholamhossein Esmaili, the head of Tehran's judiciary, protested this action, stating: "If today we have dedicated a corner of the stadium to women to avoid the suspension of the football federation, tomorrow they will say that women and men should watch football together, and they will certainly later claim that women without hijab should be allowed in the stadium." After the selective presence of some women during a friendly match between Iran and Bolivia, Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, the Attorney General of the country, threatened that if women's presence in stadiums continues, "we will take legal action." Meanwhile, Abdollah Hajji Sadeqi, the representative of the Supreme Leader in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, stated on October 30 that "resistance against women's presence in stadiums has a cost, but it must be done." Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former President of Iran, issued a directive allowing women into stadiums in 2006, but this directive 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 entry into stadiums, including sending a letter to FIFA, asking it to compel the Islamic Republic to end the prohibition on women's presence in stadiums. In this context, hackers hacked the Azadi Stadium website, demanding permission for women to watch football. "Protests" against the exclusion of two female members of the Mashhad City Council from the inauguration of the city's stadium. "Kidnapping women"; 40 years of prohibition on entering stadiums. FIFA: We have issued a permit for slogans supporting the presence of Iranian women in stadiums. The FIFA Secretary-General will meet with members of the campaign for the presence of Iranian women in stadiums.