Iran's women football team banned from 2012 Olympics

Shahrzad News :The refusal to allow the Iranian women’s football team to compete in the Olympics dressed in tracksuits bearing Islamic symbols has recently been the subject of much debate in the country. Some blame Fifa, others Islam or the Iranian authorities. Others claim ignorance of the issue and make no comment. For their part, the Iranian authorities and the state-run media say obstruction from Bahraini officials and Fifa's ‘broken promises’ are responsible. Reports in the foreign press however indicate that Iranian football officials are flying in the face of an earlier agreement with Fifa, by insisting that team members wear headscarves.

According to these reports, in a qualifying match against Jordan, female team members came onto the pitch wearing headscarves, in contravention of rules laid down by Fifa. An argument ensued between Iranian and Fifa officials, culminating in the suspension of the Iranian team. The match did not take place and Jordan won 3-0 by default.

Reports in the Iranian media have attempted to tell the public another story, by being selective in the information offered. The truth however has reached Iranians through the internet, independent Iranian media organisations and satellite television stations.

The women interviewed here live in two of Iran’s major cities, where news of this story has reached a large portion of the population. Names have been withheld to protect their identities.

A Tehrani woman in her thirties:

“The government is to blame. They treat women any way they like. But you cannot force women to wear hejab. The problem lies with Islam, which stands in the way of any progress for women. Why should we respect these laws? The regime is used to imposing its will and forcing us to do anything it wants. They want to destroy women's sport. The Ukrainian women’s team were happy to play wearing Islamic hejab, but the regime still did not allow men into the stadium. This is not about football. It is about Islam, and government policies based on force.’

In the holy city of Mashad, many of those approached made no comment, claiming either that they knew nothing of the issue or that they were too busy to follow it. Others were eager to give their opinions.

A young woman in her twenties:

'It really is a pity. Why should we be thrown out of the competition? We could have made an international impact if we had not been banned. Our officials must have given a lot of thought to the matter beforehand. I bet the head of the sports federation was praying that Fifa would say something like this. After all, they have many designers at their disposal who could easily have come up with acceptable Islamic attire for the women. It is this country and its laws that are to blame.’