Women's Presence in Stadium: 'Can We Come After the Elections?'

The second week of the World Volleyball League was held in Iran, once again bringing the issue of women's presence in stadiums to public attention. According to the regulations of the International Federation, gender restrictions on attending these competitions are illegal. As in previous years, a number of female spectators were present in the stands. The ticket sales website initially announced that there was no quota for women. So how did these women enter the hall? One of them is Shaghayegh Yazdani, the wife of the national volleyball team's physiotherapist. Ms. Yazdani wrote on her Instagram: 'Unfortunately, entry has not been opened to the public, and only the wives and families of national team members are allowed to enter. I am also upset about this discrimination and hope that these discriminations will be removed so that all women in Iran are equal.' Some journalists and political activists wrote on their social media that this is a step forward, and the opposition to the selective entry of women reaches a common goal with those opposing women's entry. Ali Aali, a reformist sports journalist who accompanied Mr. Rouhani on some provincial trips, called this method of entering the stadium 'selective opening.' However, Shokufe Mousavi, a sports journalist who attended the Iran-Belgium match, wrote on her Twitter: 'Let's not mix issues. Let's strive for progress and move towards an ideal space. For all the past years when women were banned from entering, women attended under special conditions and with the same quality as this year.' Mousavi emphasized that only journalists are allowed entry, in addition to women whose names are on a list that has come 'from above.' Preventing women's entry means depriving Iran of hosting. Given the constant presence of a selective list of women, this cannot be considered an achievement for the government, but some reformist journalists use terms like 'a step forward.' Many critical posts have been published on social media stating that the selective list does not necessarily include the families of athletes and also includes friends and neighbors. Critics say that if a number of women are allowed to enter the stadium, the same number should be fairly and equally available to applicants, just as men do not enter the stadium selectively. For all three of Iran's games, female applicants faced the message 'desired capacity reached' on the ticket sales website, but some entered the hall with prior planning by officials to comply with the regulations of the International Volleyball Federation. Some have called this maneuver a circumvention of the rules. Last year, Shahindokht Molaverdi, the Vice President for Women's Affairs, told Shargh newspaper: 'The permit for women's entry into sports halls has been signed by representatives of the police forces, the Ministry of Interior, and the Ministry of Sports and is awaiting notification from the Minister of Sports.' This permit seems to have either not been issued yet or has not been implemented after being issued. During the presidential election campaign, women's entry into stadiums was free. Numerous images were published showing them holding signs with phrases like: 'Can I come after the elections?' The discussion of volleyball and female spectators continues while the Iranian national football team is also hosting Uzbekistan in the World Cup qualifiers on Monday. In previous matches of the national football team, Korean and Chinese women entered the stadium, but law enforcement officials prevented young girls from entering who had come with their fathers and brothers.