Thus is a significant crime in the Islamic Republic.
The women are making no secret of their criminality. A photo taken at the stadium of the two women with three male friends was posted on a blog after the match and the women in the photo were identified as Fatma Iktasari and Shabnam Kazimi. It isn’t known if the regime will go after them now that they have so brazenly challenged the state.
Their act is not believed to be unique. Many women have reportedly sneaked into soccer stadiums. But they haven’t publicize their criminal actions with their names attached.
The sneak attack on Azadi Stadium recalls the film, “Offside,” directed by Jafar Panahi, which tells the fictional story of six female soccer fans who smuggled themselves into the stadium to watch the national team—and got caught by the police.
The state—and especially many clerics—argue that soccer stadiums are no place for women because male soccer fans are crude and shout phrases that are offensive to the ears of gentle women. There are also concerns that women might be touched by men in the crowded mass of a stadium. And Ayatollah Fazel Lankerani added: “Women looking at a man’s body, even if not for the sake of gratification, is inappropriate.” But women can watch the games on television, where close-ups enable them to gaze at much more masculine flesh than they would see in the stadium.
In 2006, President Ahmadi-nejad ordered that stadiums open up at least one section exclusively for women. The uproar from many in the clergy was swift and furious. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenehi personally countermanded Ahmadi-nejad’s order.
Some Iranian women have been urging the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to demand that Iran’s stadiums end gender discrimination for international matches played under the aegis of the AFC. But the AFC has remained silent.