The president of FIFA, Gianni Infantinooffered his “heartfelt thanks” to the Iranian authorities for allowing thousands of female fans to attend a top-class football match between Sepahan and Persepolis this week. After calls for Iran to be excluded from the 2022 World Cup due to the continued exclusion of women from soccer matches in the Islamic republic, Infantino adopted a policy of personal contact with the country’s leaders.
Monday’s Pro League clash at Isfahan’s Naqsh-e Jahan Stadium, which local team Sepahan won 2-1, was played in front of a crowd of women and girls. In comments posted by FIFA on social media, Infantino said he was “delighted” that around 45,000 women and girls were allowed to attend the latest edition of one of Iran’s fiercest club battles.
“FIFA has been in constant contact with the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran for several years about the possibility of women and girls attending football matches,” said the Swiss. “Following last year’s Tehran derby between Persepolis and Esteghlal, which was attended by 3,000 women and girls, this latest event is a brilliant representation of how our game is inclusive and open for all to enjoy.” I would like to express my sincere “Thank you to everyone involved who made this possible… and I hope that more women and girls will have the opportunity to regularly attend football matches in the future.”
Open Stadiums, the women’s rights campaign group that has led calls for Iran to be excluded from the World Cup, said the fans had turned the stadium “into a symbol of defiance”. “Women’s access to stadiums remains limited,” they lamented in a post on social media after the match.
“Now, as punishment for male fans who insulted each other in another match, Iran only allows women to attend and the Sepahan stadium is almost full. The path to equality and normalcy that access to stadiums for Iranian women still needs significant attention” .
Infantino said he will continue his engagement strategy with a visit to Iran in the near future. “My intention is to visit Iran as soon as possible to further discuss matters related to football as the country is a major force in Asian football and it is important that we continue to maintain the positive and fruitful working relationship we have built ,” he said.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
