This is a picture of a beautiful flower.
Ali Kalai

Everything started from the revolution of Bahman 57. It was there that gender segregation began and a wall was built between women and men that has lasted for about four decades. A wall that has hindered progress and growth for half of the Iranian society in sports.

From the beginning of the February 1979 revolution, a wave of significant changes began in women’s sports in Iran. Iranian women, who had been excluded from the Olympic Games since 1964, when they opened as the largest global sports arena, seemed to have their fate changed in the early months of 1979. This was the reason why, in the international arena, Iranian women’s sports had no Olympic presence after the revolution until the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. It was in Atlanta that Lida Fariman made her first appearance in the 10-meter air rifle event, but unfortunately did not improve her ranking of 47th place.

During the years following the victory of the revolution, many bitter events have occurred for women’s sports in Iran. Of course, there have also been sweet events and Iranian female athletes have achieved great victories in the world of sports despite all the challenges. In the latest of these events, 18-year-old taekwondo athlete Kimia Alizadeh won the first Olympic medal for Iranian women in the history of our country at the Rio Olympics with her bronze medal. However, Kimia and other female athletes have reached such positions despite facing many tragedies. Kimia Alizadeh competed against opponents who had different levels of coverage, size, and weight than she did, and in fact, this brave Iranian taekwondo athlete did not face her opponents on equal terms. This is the case for all Iranian athletes in international and even domestic competitions.

Let’s talk about an example and concern that Soulmaz Abbasi, an Iranian Olympic rower, has been struggling with. Perhaps a part of the problems faced by female athletes and one of their issues will become clearer. In an interview with the state news agency for Iranian students, ISNA, in December 2013, Abbasi talks about a meeting she had with Marzieh Akbarabadi, the former deputy of women’s sports at the Ministry of Sports and Youth, after the Olympic Games. She says that the questions asked by this lady were completely unrelated to their problems and performance at the Olympics, such as “Why is your coach a husband and wife team?” or “Why is your cover inside your pants?” Abbasi continues this discussion and talks about her response to this lady in the field of women’s sports: “I told Ms. Akbarabadi, I wish you had come and seen our boat; our seat in the boat moves on a rail and if

“And of course, this discussion did not end here. Abbas continued: “Mrs. Akbarabadi even asked why you didn’t sew your cover from the middle of your foot on the day of the competition! I replied, should a sportsperson who has reached the Olympics and is participating in such a level of competition sit down and sew their cover from the middle of their foot for the first time?! She said you were coming and taking my clothes off, but I said my authority is the federation and they provided me with this clothing; it was not appropriate for me to take clothes from my personal closet… I was choked up at the time and when I came out of the room, I cried because I felt like I couldn’t talk about obvious and simple matters with someone who had such a great responsibility. She didn’t even accept the issues I brought up. When I was sitting in front of Mrs. Akbarabadi, I regretted going to the Olympics and I kept asking

The question here is, when encountering an Olympic athlete, do other Iranian female athletes generally have the desire to compete in international sports competitions in various fields?! These conditions are not only for this Iranian female sailor, but for all Iranian athletes. Those who can participate in competitions by overcoming thousands of obstacles and in a situation of lack of facilities are facing such conditions, and others, like female athletes in most water sports, are generally deprived of the opportunity to participate in international women’s competitions.

Various events have led to the elimination of many Iranian women in sports. However, mentioning some of them may serve as a good example of appropriate resistance to make the existing space for Iranian women in the field of sports more visible.

In October 2013, the Iranian women’s national karate team was eliminated from the third round of the Islamic Solidarity Games. The reason for this elimination was the Egyptian team’s protest against a piece of cloth that the Iranian women had used between their hats and collars. This piece of cloth was against the dress code set by the World Karate Federation for women’s attire. But what is the story behind the addition of this “piece of cloth”?

The Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee, Bahram Afsharzadeh, in an interview with Mehr News Agency, says: “The day before this event, a photo of female karate athletes was published and afterwards, Marzieh Akbarabadi, the Deputy Minister of Sports, contacted Indonesia and warned them about the hijab of our female athletes.” This warning from Ms. Akbarabadi and the fear of Iranian female athletes from potential future problems, led to the addition of that piece of cloth that later, with the complaint of the Egyptians, easily led to the removal of the Iranian women’s kata team. Just like that! With the personal taste of a deputy minister, the efforts of a group of female athletes and hours and weeks of training are wasted.

However, this incident had also occurred before. In June 2011, the Iranian women’s national football team was eliminated from the preliminary rounds of the 2012 London Olympics due to their Islamic hijab and the Bahraini referee’s refusal to officiate the match against Jordan.

The issue cannot be solved by wearing a hijab. In February 2014, a strange news was published that was very surprising. Ahmad Hashemian, the former head of the Medical Committee of the Iranian Football Federation, had announced the suspension of seven female players due to “gender ambiguity”. This was something that, according to most football and futsal players and according to a BBC Persian report at the time, was due to “different behavior and appearance from the usual definitions of femininity” and not adhering to “traditional gender boundaries”. This issue even extends beyond the issue of the appearance and behavior of women.

Based on the report of the Six Colors website, women undergo various tests for sports participation. The first stage of gender determination tests includes a psychological test in which questions about the level of interest in participating in women’s communities, interest in married life, marriage, sexual orientation, and the reason for shortening hair are asked. If the psychologist determines the continuation of the test, female athletes are referred to a medical commission consisting of one to six doctors (three women and three men) for breast and vaginal examinations. In some cases, female athletes are also required to undergo ultrasound of the uterus and ovaries. Obtaining a medical certificate confirming femininity is the final stage of these tests and a condition for obtaining permission to participate in sports competitions.

Sometimes, it is not directly at the hands of the government, but rather through existing laws and regulations in this government that female athletes are excluded from competitions. In September 2015, the news of the dismissal of Niloufar Ardalan, the captain of the Iranian women’s national football team, and her inability to participate in international football competitions due to her husband’s opposition, received widespread media coverage. A husband who, using existing laws, easily deprives a national team of a country from the presence of one of its players, or even its best player. That easily!

However, the issue of discrimination does not only end with athletes. The viewing and media coverage of women’s sports can also be prohibited from the perspective of a government that has made gender segregation its main priority, and these prohibitions can also be enforced.

The issue of broadcasting women’s sports is not a strange matter. It is an issue that can greatly encourage Iranian women and girls to participate in sports and strive for professional sports. Many male athletes today were inspired by watching images of male athletes from the past on the magical box of sound and image, and then through their pursuit, they were able to collaborate with their former legends or compete with them. In 1386, according to a report published in the Donya-ye Eqtesad newspaper, this issue was examined and it was titled that these competitions are free for foreign cameras and other countries, but forbidden for Iranian television and the people who use it. However, there have been recent advancements in showcasing women’s sports, especially in the recent Olympics where we have witnessed the competitions of our female athletes. But the ratio between men’s and women’s sports is so unfair that it can be compared to a drop in the face of a mountain.

The story does not end with not showing it. Seeing it by Iranian women and going to stadiums has also become a fundamental problem for Iranian women and has even led to the detention of women who have tried to attend matches at stadiums and sports complexes.

In November 2013, the story of the absence of permission for women to attend the free driving and rally races was a bitter tale of irony. The rally races no longer had light coverage or heavy movements. Men and women in their clothes and behind the wheel, but in the eyes of the rulers of the Islamic Republic, they were invisible to Iranian women. But behind walls and away from the wheel, they could easily see each other! It seems that only rally races and forbidden speed are considered taboo.

Volleyball and watching its matches by women is no longer acceptable. Ghoncheh Ghavami was arrested during this issue and spent months in prison. Even now, watching volleyball matches and going to stadiums related to various sports for Iranian women is considered a sin by the authorities. However, sometimes women from other countries are allowed to attend and support their teams. The presence of women from other countries in stadiums is considered permissible in the Islamic Republic’s system, but the presence of Iranian women in the same stadiums and games is considered forbidden. The double standards and illogical approach of the government towards this issue is clear.

After civil activists, both men and women, and the civil society insist on the presence of women in stadiums, extremist groups like Ansar Hezbollah come to the field and threaten through loudspeakers without being accountable to anyone, saying “we will stand against any violation of Sharia law.” Then, a woman named Rouh Afza claims to be the “head of the Women’s Cultural and Social Council” and accuses the “anti-revolutionaries” of being the main reason for women’s entry into stadiums. This means that insisting on this right will lead to being accused of being against the revolution, the system, and facing political-security charges. This causes many social classes and groups to refrain from demanding this natural right out of fear of such accusations.

And then the situation becomes comical and a strange paradox appears in a short time. A futsal match between Iran and Russia is held. The match is friendly. Reporters – even female reporters – cannot find a way to attend the match. The Iranian players are given jerseys without numbers and the interesting point is that the opposing team plays without hijab and in their own jerseys! It is not clear exactly what is considered forbidden and prohibited for whom by the authorities of the Islamic Republic and what is allowed and permissible?! This could be a symbol of the ambiguity and lack of clarity in the situation of women in sports in Iran. This issue arises at a time when there is controversy over whether or not to wear hijab in the World Chess Championships in Iran. Female athletes from other countries, such as Nazi Paikidze, have demanded that hijab not be forced upon them and have even stated that they will not participate in these competitions if hijab is mandatory. And of course, those

There are two points of discussion and identification here. First, if hijab is mandatory for female athletes competing in Iran, why is it not mandatory for Russian futsal players and chess players from other countries? And secondly, unfortunately, some have claimed that hijab and these types of segregations are “part of Iranian culture”! A lie that is refuted by the above narrative and all historical documents.

The current situation of women’s sports in Iran is at a standstill from all sides. Some sports are completely forbidden for women in all fields, according to the discretion of men. Some are included in the field of championship and some in the international arena, facing the same prohibition. Watching television and attending stadiums for spectators and sports enthusiasts among women is also forbidden, and of course, breaking the law carries a heavy penalty.

One of these fields that has been excessively paid for and in recent years has shown interest among Iranian women is the field of bodybuilding and fitness. A field that the Judiciary’s information center has claimed that “due to religious and legal issues, women have no activities in this field.”

But in July 2014, Borna News Agency reported a sexual assault on a female bodybuilding coach in Tehran. This incident took place in Ekbatan City and was followed up by the Fifth District of Tehran Police Intelligence. This news, along with other similar reports, contradicts the recent claims of the judiciary. But what is the reason behind this claim?

This year in Shahrivar, the Mizan News Agency reported the summons of two Iranian female bodybuilders and four men who apparently trained them and sent them to international competitions to the Culture and Media Court. The issue arose after the publication of photos of these women on their personal Instagram pages following their participation in these competitions. The bodybuilding women have been treated unfairly. The Bodybuilding Federation denies the involvement of women in this field and the judiciary also confirms this. The statement about the previously mentioned matter is false and incorrect.

In fact, this is a governmental institution that makes decisions and implements them based on its own values for women’s sports in Iran. No one can ask Iranian female athletes and sports enthusiasts what they want, how they want it, and how they demand a situation.

Former Minister of Sports of the government, Hassan Rouhani, in 2015, in a note published in Jomhuriye Eslami Sports, mentioned obstacles such as fear of damaging cultural and religious values, or family obstacles such as spouse or parents, from his and his government’s efforts to establish “Islamic” values in the world, saying: “We do not have the right to dominate Western values over Eastern values.”

The truth is that resistance in the field of women’s sports in Iranian society has increased. This resistance is so strong that it has brought the highest authorities of the government to the field. The leadership of the system, using the tool of fatwa, rallies against women’s sports and orders the abandonment of “women’s cycling”, calling it “a means of attracting men’s attention and causing social turmoil and corruption, and contrary to the modesty of women.”

Iranian women have been fighting a cold war against the values of authority for about four decades. They have repeatedly pushed back the strong walls of authority and continue to do so. They have achieved bronze medals in no sport and the Iranian women’s futsal team becomes the champion of Asia. Iranian women have protected women’s sports from lawlessness and lack of foundation by decision-makers and executives in this field. Executives who sometimes see hijab as necessary for non-Iranian female athletes and sometimes not. Sometimes they agree to a dress for Iranian female athletes and sometimes not. Sometimes they encourage and sometimes deprive. Lawless and baseless, completely based on the personal taste of the responsible individual in their position.

The fight of women and this cold war continues, despite all these baseless actions. Unfortunately, in every move and at the end of this cold war, they hit a solid wall. In this field and cold war, Iranian women will have a place to fight for their rights against the rule of the Islamic Republic, where both sides will come to the conclusion that the cold war is enough. Whatever the solution may be, history must be observed.