It was a real revelation for me to discover the Palestinian women’s soccer team and the Jordanian female boxers that I blogged about recently. Equally fascinating is the bouquet of issues and questions thrown into the air by the very notion of Middle Eastern sportswomen in more traditional countries… where sport is still largely considered a man’s game.
A prime example is the 2009 controversy surrounding Alireza Mansourian, football academy director of Esteghlal, one of Iran’s biggest and most popular clubs, Mansourian is a former Iranian soccer star-turned-coach at this Tehran-based club, which has attracted a huge following, although it is under the authority of Iran’s Islamic rulers.
Allegations were made in early ’09 that the club’s men and women players staged a battle-of-the-sexes match behind closed doors, in full breach of Iran’s gender segregation laws.
Kicking Over the Traces
Esteghal’s management denied the match took place, but nevertheless, the allegations prompted an internal inquiry, which led to a disciplinary hearing. As a result, three officials, including the women’s and youth team coaches were fined and suspended and Mansourian, once an Iranian sporting icon, found himself in seriously hot water.
The club issued a public apology but to little heed. Soon after, an investigation was opened by the state-run sports governing body that enforces separation of Iranian men and women in competitions and venues.
Iranian women (and men!) love soccer, but religious regulations state that female teams must play in closed spaces away from the gaze of men. Women are also barred from attending men’s football matches. A 2006 decision by Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to allow women access was overturned after conservative clerics kicked up a fuss, claiming it went against Islamic values of feminine modesty and chastity.
The Official Story
Esteghal Club President Amir Vaez Ashtiani, who has called for tough action against the possible culprits in the alleged battle of the sexes match.
The Iranian press reported the match finished with a score of 7-0 to the men’s team at Esteghlal’s Marghoubkar stadium on Tuesday. Officials insist the two teams came into contact only briefly because their training sessions overlapped. Mansourian said the men’s team wandered on to the playing field 10 minutes before the end of the women’s session but were promptly ordered off by security staff.
“I was not present at the stadium but I heard that such an incident took place. However, on examination, I concluded that the incident did not happen in the way it is alleged,” he said in an article in The Guardian.
“Esteghlal football club is committed to moral values and will take action against wrongdoers according to the law. Action will be quickly taken against those involved and the culprits will be legally punished.”