Iranian Women's Soccer Team Banned in Berlin

[CreepersWiener]

http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/06/0 ... 9720110605

Bigotry überalles!

[Pirlo]

I saw this on the news like 2 weeks ago.

Jordan team were automatically advanced to the next round and the game which was supposed to be played here was forfeited from Iran.

[oVo]

"The row over what Iran's women players are allowed to wear has been brewing for more than a year. FIFA banned the team last April due to their plan to wear headscarves, in accordance with the Islamic dress code which requires all women in Iran to cover their hair in public."

I think FIFA is stretching boundaries of their authority a bit here and that the Iranian women should have been allowed to compete. It's not as if they were planning to wear burkkas on the pitch and the head scarves are not that much of an embellishment beyond the headbands some players wear during matches. This is an international event and giving cultural differences a bit of extra consideration does not seem to be asking too much, as long as issues of concern are not extreme or over the top.

[Army of GOD]

"The row over what Iran's women players are allowed to wear has been brewing for more than a year. FIFA banned the team last April due to their plan to wear headscarves, in accordance with the Islamic dress code which requires all women in Iran to cover their hair in public."

I think FIFA is stretching boundaries of their authority a bit here and that the Iranian women should have been allowed to compete. It's not as if they were planning to wear burkkas on the pitch and the head scarves are not that much of an embellishment beyond the headbands some players wear during matches. This is an international event and giving cultural differences a bit of extra consideration does not seem to be asking too much, as long as issues of concern are not extreme or over the top.

I agree. There's nothing wrong with those headpieces...

[BigBallinStalin]

Did an authority in Iran in any way "strongly encourage" its players to wear head scarves for all games?

[Pirlo]

Did an authority in Iran in any way "strongly encourage" its players to wear head scarves for all games?

i think it's obligatory pursuant to Iranian laws. even in iran streets, I don't think women are allowed to go with no scarf.

[BigBallinStalin]

Did an authority in Iran in any way "strongly encourage" its players to wear head scarves for all games?

i think it's obligatory pursuant to Iranian laws. even in iran streets, I don't think women are allowed to go with no scarf.

If that is true, then FIFA is opposing government intervention on one's identity. Essentially, FIFA is boycotting the repressive policies of the Iranian government, so why are some people upset about that?

[Pirlo]

Did an authority in Iran in any way "strongly encourage" its players to wear head scarves for all games?

i think it's obligatory pursuant to Iranian laws. even in iran streets, I don't think women are allowed to go with no scarf.

If that is true, then FIFA is opposing government intervention on one's identity. Essentially, FIFA is boycotting the repressive policies of the Iranian government, so why are some people upset about that?

maybe because FIFA as a football organization should not intervene in countries laws. now Iran will find it a great chance to play the victim role more and more. they will now argue that their women are not allowed to participate in football stuff for political reasons. in fact, FIFA has been involved in this for long time. Iran would also argue that their women do want to be veiled and FIFA is abusing its power to force some women to non-adhere to their belief.

but if you looked at it from an islamic point of view, I think the religion gives people the choice to adhere or not. it doesn't authorize some people (government or whatsoever) to force people to adhere to this belief or that.

IMO, neither Iran or any other government has the right to force people to dress this or that. on the other hand, FIFA should provide a valid point when it bans something, and that should be within its power.

[oVo]

Because I believe FIFA is overstepping it's authority by imposing
it's own prejudice here. It always sucks when politics interferes
with sportsmanship in any international athletic competition.

Implementing this decision is a no win situation for all parties
involved. It is insensitive to the spiritual beliefs and traditions
of a nation. I don't think it as FIFA's place to attempt to force a
change in the customs of Iran by penalizing these athletes.

Maybe all nations with known civil rights abuses, dictators, military
hostilities within their borders or terrorist activities should also be
disqualified as an incentive to treat their citizens better...
prior to being allowed to participate.

[Pirlo]

there's still a funny part in this issue..

Jordan team that were awarded the automatic win have some veiled players..

[saxitoxin]

In my opinion, clearly women are not allowed to participate in football stuff for political reasons. In fact, FIFA has been involved in this for long time. Iran's women do want to be veiled and FIFA is abusing its power to force some women to non-adhere to their belief.

[Pirlo]

In my opinion, clearly women are not allowed to participate in football stuff for political reasons. In fact, FIFA has been involved in this for long time. Iran's women do want to be veiled and FIFA is abusing its power to force some women to non-adhere to their belief.

your post seems to be familiar to me

[Army of GOD]

Did an authority in Iran in any way "strongly encourage" its players to wear head scarves for all games?

i think it's obligatory pursuant to Iranian laws. even in iran streets, I don't think women are allowed to go with no scarf.

If that is true, then FIFA is opposing government intervention on one's identity. Essentially, FIFA is boycotting the repressive policies of the Iranian government, so why are some people upset about that?

Is FIFA the all-great entity of what is right and fair in the world?

Moral relativity. Just because FIFA has a problem with the Iranian gov't doesn't mean the Iranian people necessarily do. IF the woman want to wear them because they believe it is right, then f*ck FIFA for having a problem.

[radiojake]

and people wonder why Islamic extremists have a problem with the west. This is fucking retarded -

[notyou2]

FIFA is totally offside on this. It appears the real reason though is the Bahrainian official and Iran's tough stance on Bahrain.

[Army of GOD]

FIFA is totally offside on this. It appears the real reason though is the Bahrainian official and Iran's tough stance on Bahrain.

Not sure if soccer pun was intended...

[notyou2]

Can't slip one past you AoG.

[Pirlo]

and people wonder why Islamic extremists have a problem with the west. This is fucking retarded -

I don't think islamic extremists have problem with the west..

even moderate muslims and non-muslims would do..

I see americans in this thread feeling bad and sympathizing the team of women who spent a decent amount of time training and warming up to make it to next round, then suddenly FIFA decided to tell iran 'f*ck you, we don't like your government.. let's award this to jordan because their government is bullshit.'

[Army of GOD]

Can't slip one past you AoG.

Not sure if sex/drug pun was intended.

[MeDeFe]

http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/06/05/idINIndia-57509720110605

Bigotry überalles!

I don't see Berlin mentioned in the article you linked to...

[Pirlo]

http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/06/05/idINIndia-57509720110605

Bigotry überalles!

I don't see Berlin mentioned in the article you linked to...

The Women World Cup 2011 will be held in Germany after 5 days. FIFA dropped Iran's qualifier game against Jordan.

[MeDeFe]

http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/06/05/idINIndia-57509720110605

Bigotry überalles!

I don't see Berlin mentioned in the article you linked to...

The Women World Cup 2011 will be held in Germany after 5 days. FIFA dropped Iran's qualifier game against Jordan.

So... a qualifier game that was to take place in Amman (not a German city) and was dropped by the international organisation FIFA means that Berlin... what? I think the title of the thread is misleading.

[PLAYER57832]

Did an authority in Iran in any way "strongly encourage" its players to wear head scarves for all games?

i think it's obligatory pursuant to Iranian laws. even in iran streets, I don't think women are allowed to go with no scarf.

If that is true, then FIFA is opposing government intervention on one's identity. Essentially, FIFA is boycotting the repressive policies of the Iranian government, so why are some people upset about that?

Because freedom means the ability to follow one's religious creed, not just freedom from following religious dictates. That this might be a rule of the government and not the individual's "choice" is irrelevant. No one really gets to choose their uniform. As to a "political stand" -- there are far better ways to do that, far more effective. Sports events should be as free of politics as possible. As long as there is no true safety concern (long, flowing scarves might be, but something that resembles a "pony tail" for long hair would be OK., it should be allowed.

[BigBallinStalin]

How "unpolitical" can a game be when it has national v national games? =P


How do do you know that all of those Iranian soccer players want to wear head scarves? Socially, Iran was a much more liberal country before the revolution. Their state has imposed regulations to make their country more conservative. That's the "culture" of Iran--it's not representative of its people, but rather representative of an all-male, socially conservative, religious elite. If you want a great idea of what an actual police state is, then look at Iran since the revolution.

Does anyone here seriously think that Iran's state-imposed culture is truly representative of its own people?

Why is it necessary to support "Iran's" culture? Why is it necessary to condone the actions of that oppressive government?

Wasn't their Green Revolution enough to convince you that maybe something is wrong with their government?

[notyou2]

The conservatives won the recent election in Canada. They won a majority and they are now pushing forward with their conservative platform, yet they won far less than 50% of the vote. They do not represent my views yet I have to live with it for 4 or 5 years or maybe more.

Is any government truly representative of the people?