Over 130 women’s activists wrote an open letter to the World Volleyball Federation president and official monitoring the Iran-Poland match, defending women’s rights to come to stadiums to watch sports matches.
They called on these officials to defend Iranian women’s rights to come to stadiums to watch their desired games. This letter states, “We are demanding the lifting of any sexual discrimination in the stadiums. Iran’s sports federations must end such measures.”
The women’s rights activists criticized harsh behavior towards women and arresting those seeking to enter the stadiums.
“According to Iran’s Volleyball Federation Secretary Mahmoud Afshardoust, this federation only places a number of the federation’s female employees amongst the fans to deceive international observers!” (Radio Zamane – July 1, 2014)
