Why Ahmadinejad is willing to end female sports ban

Women should be allowed into sports stadiums for the first time, reversing the Islamic Republic's code preventing them watching men playing sports in big venues, says President Ahmadinejad according to a report in Iran News Daily.

Why? Apparently to create a purer society. "The presence of women and families in public places promotes chastity," Ahmadinejad is quoting as saying.

"The best stands should be allocated to women and families in the stadiums in which national and important matches are being held," the President added.

While women have sometimes been allowed into smaller venues to watch male sports such as basketball and volleyball they have been barred from bigger events such as international football events. At those internationals, female fans of foreign opponents have been granted access inside the stadium.

In March, female football fans who'd bought tickets for a match at Tehran's Azadi stadium were attacked by security forces.

See also:

The football team's No. 1 fan

Comments

[Richard Willmsen]

Hi,

Sorry for intruding, as this has nothing whatsoever to do with Iran, but Channel 4 International News Editor Lindsey Hilsum recently wrote an article in Granta regarding China's interests in Africa, and I was wondering if there was any chance she might be interested in reading a piece I wrote for my internet blog, which made several points salient to her article, but with reference to another African country which she did not mention, Angola.

Sorry to be so cheeky!

Richard