Iran detains women for trying to attend football match

Thirty-five women have been detained for trying to attend a Tehran football derby, according to the BBC.

The match between Esteqlal and Persepolis was watched by Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA and Iranian Sports Minister Masoud Soltanifar at the 95,000-capacity Azadi Stadium on Thursday.

According to Fox Sports, women have been banned from watching football in Iran since 1979, and as a consequence, the would-be derby attendees were held by police before being released after the match.

Infantino, who has said he reportedly wants to do something for Iranian women, especially because he has four daughters, was criticized for attending the game.

A movement of Iranian women campaigners wrote an open letter to the FIFA boss asking him to use his power and influence to end the ban.

Iranian women have been urged online recently to protest about their ban from stadiums. /AFP Photo‍

“On behalf of all Iranian women that love football and merely want to attend matches to support their teams of choice, we urge you to take the necessary disciplinary action against the Iranian Federation to protect our rights,” said the group.

Article 4 of FIFA's statutes reads: "Discrimination of any kind against a country, private person or group of people on account of race, skin colour, ethnic, national or social origin, gender, disability, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, wealth, birth, or any other status, sexual orientation or any other reason is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion."

(CGTN)