Iran will reimpose ban on women attending men’s football matches: Prosecutor

“When a woman goes to a stadium and is faced with half-naked men in sports clothes and sees them it will lead to sin.”

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iran says it will reimpose a ban on women attending live football matches following an international friendly game between Iran and Bolivia on Tuesday.

Iran beat South American opponents Bolivia 2-1 in an international friendly match at the Azadi Stadium in the capital Tehran.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh, who signed for English Premier league club Birghton & Hove Albion following the 2018 World Cup, opened the scoring in the 17th minute.

Bolivia’s Rudy Cardozo equalized shortly after the start of the second half on 51 minutes before Mehdi Torabi restored Iran’s lead, scoring what proved to be the winner in the 63rd minute.

Around 100 women enjoy the live football match between Iran and Bolivia at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Oct. 16, 2018. (Photo: EPA)
Around 100 women enjoy the live football match between Iran and Bolivia at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Oct. 16, 2018. (Photo: EPA)

About 100 women attended the match at the Azadi Stadium to cheer on their national team, scenes reminiscent of female fans who watched Iran play at the World Cup in Russia.

On Wednesday, prosecutor Mohammad Jafar Montazeri said women would not be permitted to watch live football matches inside stadiums in Iran, arguing that if females see male players in their uniforms it would “lead to sin.”

“I object to the presence of women in Azadi Stadium yesterday,” Iran’s Mehr news agency quoted Montazeri as saying.

“When a woman goes to a stadium and is faced with half-naked men in sports clothes and sees them it will lead to sin.”

Iran has banned women from attending men's sporting events for decades. (Photo: EPA)
Iran has banned women from attending men's sporting events for decades. (Photo: EPA)

Montazeri emphasized that Iran would “deal with any official who wants to allow women inside stadiums under any pretext.”

“If this is repeated, I will order the Tehran prosecutor to act,” he said.

Since 1979, the ultra-conservative Iranian regime has prevented females from attending male football matches.