Iranian Women’s National Soccer team Banned from Olympic Qualifying Tournament

The dispute between Iran and FIFA, soccer’s governing body, over the wearing of Islamic veils during competition started back in 2007 when FIFA banned the garments.

Players of the Iranian women’s national soccer team react after withdrawing from their qualifying match against Jordan for the 2012 London Olympic Games in Amman Sep 3. The Iranian team were banned from the match on Friday in the second round of qualifiers in protest against guidelines on their veil. The FIFA woman’s association requires that any covering used does not cover the neck and ears. In Iran all women are required to cover their hair in public to conform to the Islamic dress code.

Atousa Pourkashiyan Wins Iran Women’s Chess Championship 2011

Iran Women’s Chess Championship 2011 was held from 7th to 15th January in Tehran. Ten players competed in the round robin tournament. The defending champion WFM Ghazal Hakimifard maintained the lead up to the 8th round and had a good chance to celebrate the double, but WFM Mitra HejaziPour beat her in the last round and ruined her ambition.

On the other side, WGM Atousa Pourkashiyan, winner of the Asian Women’s Chess Championship in 2010 trailed behind Sarasadat Khademalsharieh and Ghazal Hakimifard until the very finish, but then she used the opportunity to overtake the opposition and claim the Championship with a total of 7 points.

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Women’s sports are a product of the West’s “dirty” culture

A senior cleric has denounced the participation of Iranian women in the Asian Games, calling it a humiliation and saying women’s sports are a product of the West’s “dirty” culture that should be shunned.

As he has done in the past, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took the opposite view — one shared by most Iranians — and praised female athletes from Iran who won medals in the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, which took place in November.

Iran’s strict laws forbid physical contact between unrelated men and women, and Iranian women are even barred from attending soccer games in which men’s teams are playing. (more…)

Iranian Female Car Racer Laleh Seddigh

Born in 1977, Laleh Seddigh is an Iranian female race car driver. She races both on circuits and in rallies. She lives in Tehran and has been called the “little Schumacher”. She is recognized as the best female racer in the country. She is trained by former national champion Saeed A’rabian. Seddigh had to get special permission from a local ayatollah  in order to compete against men. Permission was granted since driving is not deemed a contact sport, and on the condition that Seddigh would confirm to dress-codes.  At 28, Laleh Seddigh was known for her stunning looks and legendary driving skills. A PhD student from Tehran, she has been nicknamed “a little Schumacher” after the German Formula One champion. She has been given the title of Iran’s best female racing driver. The story is featured in a BBC TV documentary called “Girl Racer” (Wikipedia).

Iran Complains FIFA’s Decision to Ban Iranian women Footballers from Wearing Hijab

Iran has sent letters to five international sports organizations to complain about FIFA’s decision to ban Iranian women footballers from wearing hijab.

“The letters have been sent to heads of FIFA, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC),” Iran’s National Olympic Committee Secretary General Bahram Afsharzadeh told IRNA on Sunday.

“We have asked the heads of these international sports organizations to review and annul FIFA’s decision,” he went on to say. Last week, FIFA banned the Iranian women’s football squad wearing hijab from participating in the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) which will be held from August 14 to 26 in Singapore.

“Hijab is related to the Islamic culture and Muslim women can’t take part in social activities without it,” Afsharzadeh concluded. Meanwhile, President of Iran’s Football Federation Ali Kafashian has announced that due to religious beliefs the Iranian women team will participate in the competitions only if they are allowed to observe the Islamic dress code. A total of 3,500 athletes from 170 countries will partake in the games in the 2010 Youth Summer Olympics.

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