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FIFA Says Tehran 'Assured' That Women Can Get Into Next Soccer Match

RFE/RL

   FIFA President Gianni Infantino says soccer's world governing body
   "cannot wait any more" and has been "assured" by Tehran that the
   authorities will allow women spectators into the arena when Iran hosts
   its next international match.

   Infantino's comments follow a FIFA delegation visit to Iran over the
   conservative Shi'ite leadership's longtime ban on women at major men's
   sporting events-- a policy that turned more tragic with the recent
   death of a young woman who was being punished for trying to sneak into
   a stadium disguised as a man.

   Iran is scheduled to play Cambodia in a 2022 World Cup qualifier on
   October 10 at Azadi Stadium in Tehran.

   "In these productive discussions, FIFA reiterated its firm and clear
   position that women need to be allowed to enter football matches freely
   and that the number of women who attend the stadiums be determined by
   the demand, resulting in ticket sales," FIFA said in a September 21
   statement summarizing the delegation's visit to Tehran and Azadi
   Stadium.

   FIFA further said it would work with Iran's national soccer federation,
   the FFIRI, to ensure that women spectators could get into the Iranian
   soccer league's matches in future.

   The delegation "discussed the need to open stadiums for women to attend
   national matches. In that respect, FIFA announced that it will, based
   on the operational plans and results of the [October 10] game,
   collaborate with the FFIRI in developing an operational protocol and
   related requirements for matches in the Iranian football league to be
   opened for women as well."

   There was a social outcry upon news that 29-year-old Iranian Sahar
   Khodayari had died earlier this month after dousing herself with
   gasoline and setting herself alight on September 2 following charges
   over her bid to see a match in March.

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