A delegation from FIFA will observe Iran-Cambodia game in Azadi Stadium to assess the conditions of women’s entry into football matches in Iran and compliance with FIFA rules.
Team Melli will have to face off against Cambodia in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying match. France’s former football star and a World Cup winner Youri Raffi Djorkaeff is one of the delegates that will travel to Tehran to check on the conditions and the credibility of the Iranian authorities and how genuine they are in allowing unrestrictive admission of women into football venues.
Djorkaeff who has been appointed by FIFA said “Our team’s duty is to create positive social change around the world, and one of our objectives is to make football more accessible to women in the Middle East, especially in countries like Iran,”
The World Cup 1998 winner continued “It is forbidden for women to enter stadiums. The Iranian issue is our subject and I plan to be able to attend Iran Cambodia match. Our presence is a testament to FIFA’s determination.”
FIFA president Infantino said last week: “We have been assured that women will be allowed to attend the next match of the Iranian national team, which will be held on October 10 .”
Iran has the dubious double distinction of being the only country in the world that bans women entry into football stadiums and forces them to wear head scarfs (Hijab). Even the Saudi Arabian government, which until recently was practising the most restrictive Wahabi system of Islam has allowed women attending football matches and also has declared that Hijab is no more compulsory except in the holy cities of Mecca and Madinah.
The religious hardliners in Iran claim that football stadiums are aggressive men dominated places that do not have a clean civil surrounding with rival fans resorting to profanities and sometimes violence against rivals, a claim that a few can argue against. However, such decisions like attending a football match must be left to the individuals rather than being forced up peoples throat as Human Right principles dictate.
It is clear that FIFA is very serious about this issue and will slap a ban on the Iranian Football which will have grave consequences amongst the millions of passionate Iranian fans and quite possibly lead to social unrest in Iran.