The United Nations recognizes the powerful role of sports in strengthening communities and promoting peace, equality, and respect. Yet in Iran, women are denied access to many of these fundamental rights.
Iran, a country of nearly 90 million people, half of whom are women, has seen increasing restrictions on women’s freedoms since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, particularly following the enforcement of mandatory hijab laws. For over four decades, women have been barred from attending men’s sporting events in stadiums under an unwritten policy that has led to arrests, detentions, and harassment.
In September 2019, Sahar Khodayari, known as the “Blue Girl,” attempted to enter Tehran’s Azadi Stadium. After facing legal consequences, she tragically died by self-immolation, an act that sparked widespread national and international outrage and renewed calls for women’s access to stadiums.
Although FIFA prohibits gender-based discrimination and restrictions on stadium access, Iranian authorities have continued to enforce these bans. Human Rights Watch has repeatedly called on FIFA to uphold its regulations and hold Iran accountable.
While limited progress has been made, such as allowing women to attend select matches, it was not until September 2022 that women were officially permitted to attend a domestic league game between Esteghlal and Mes Kerman.
Beyond stadiums, restrictions extend into other areas of sport. Women face limitations on coaching, participation in certain disciplines such as boxing, and exclusion from traditional practices like Zourkhaneh, which authorities consider male-only. These barriers, shaped by a combination of legal frameworks, religious interpretations, and state policies, continue to limit women’s access to sport.
Despite these challenges, Iranian women persist. They create alternative spaces, training in private gyms, parks, beaches, and underground settings, quietly resisting restrictions and reclaiming their right to participate.
This photo collection was showcased as a video in the Rencontres d’Arles Photography Festival – Night of the Year 2023 event in Arles, France.
You can watch the published video at the end.
