Payvand's Iran News ...
10/2/05
Debutant Iran stands second at West Asian women's football tournament
TEHRAN, Oct. 2 (Mehr News Agency) – Iran made debut in the West Asian Women's Football Championships and finished runner-up to host country Jordan Saturday night. The Iranian side conceded a 2-1 loss in a tough final.
Iran's national women's soccer team celebrate after receiving their sliver medals at the West Asian Soccer Federation Women's Championship at Amman Stadium, Jordan, Saturday. (Reuters Photo)
World websites gave a blanket coverage to the tournament particularly Iran's games as female footballers observed the Islamic dress code.
Excitement Mounts Over Germany-Iran Soccer Friendly
Young Iranian women play soccer in a park in Tehran
Iran's women fans await stadium access
(read the rest of the controversy, click title above)
Football frenzy
Football in Iran has many female fans.
In 1998, hundreds of women forced their way into the Azadi Sport Complex in Tehran to welcome home the victorious national team which had defeated Australia in a World Cup qualifying game.
The authorities turned a blind eye to the "incident" and the subsequent female jubilation on the street.
A women's football league was formed later that year.
All women football matches are held indoors and no male spectator is allowed to watch.
In recent years there has been a growing movement in the media to allow women to attend men's football games.
Zanan, a women's monthly magazine, criticised the authorities for their "discriminatory practices" when they allowed the female fans of Ireland's football team to attend the World Cup 2002 qualifying match in Tehran's national stadium.
Earlier this year the now banned pro-reform daily Azad published an article saying that some girls liked football so much that they would disguise themselves as boys to get into the stadium and watch the games.