Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Iran's dress code for women comes in way of sports
Indo-Asian News Service
Tehran, September 26, 2005
Women in Iran, even those participating in sporting events, have to cover body contours and hair with long gowns and scarves so that they are properly covered in front of "strange men" in public.
The restrictions make it impossible for Iranian sportswomen, including those in judo, karate, taekwondo and horse jumping, to attend international competitions.
In order to tackle this problem, women's activist and head of Women's Sports Federation Faezeh Hashemi arranges games for Muslim women in which they can compete internationally without being watched by a male audience and TV cameras.
But the reformist daughter of former president Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, one of the most influential men in Iran, has to travel a long and winding road to persuade the country's clergy and non-clerical hardliners to gain permission - and money - for the games.
"It's indeed not easy at all," Hashemi said, not willing, however, to go into details to avoid creating more problems with her male opponents than she already has.
Another official of the women's sports federation discussed problems Hashemi and her team, consisting of mainly female student volunteers, faced before holding the fourth Islamic games from Saturday.
"They (men) tell us that the money (estimated at millions of dollars) is wasted as the records achieved at the games are not registered anyway," said the official on condition of anonymity.
Hashemi is also a political activist who tries to put across her political standpoints in her job as a sports official.
"We have also invited this time athletes from non-Muslim countries, even from the US and the UK," Hashemi said, referring to the two countries that are politically at odds with Islamic Iran.
"We have to clarify that sports has no boundaries and in the first place stands for peace and friendship," Hashemi added.
Although only one American athlete, her male coach and a female referee were invited for the games, still the international department of the games could not gain their visa until 48 hours before the game.
"Thanks to Mrs Hashemi's efforts, we eventually got (the visa) in time," an American team member said.
In the fourth Islamic games, 27 teams from Muslim states and eight from non-Muslim states competed in 18 fields, including track and field, basketball, football, golf, handball, karate and swimming.
Attending the Islamic games is for most of the Iranian female athletes the only opportunity to get out of the national level and face foreign competitors.
"We trained for four years for these games," said Baharak Zarinqaba, captain of Iran's national basketball team.
Asked whether she would like to attend international games like other athletes, she replied, "Sure, but we have our own rules in this country and we must obey them."
Iranian sportswomen can only attend international games in categories such as shooting and archery where their Islamic outfits cause no hindrance.
Hashemi said that her Women's Sports Federation is involved in talks with Jacques Rogge, head of the International Olympic Committee, over allowing women with Islamic outfits in judo, karate, taekwondo and horse-jumping as well.
"We have to make the best out of the few opportunities we have and enjoy the minimum of success as a great achievement," the 42-year-old Hashemi said.
© HT Media Ltd. 2005.