What do you think of FIFA’s new regulations fro Iran national football federatoion? One of the demands is the women’s right to go to soccer stadiums and watch the games along with men. Do you think this will happen?

This is not only for Iran, all countries who are members of FIFA should follow these rules. It clearly says that women and men should be free to enter the stadiums and watch the games. They put it to vote that this was voted for.

I think if they used another word for woman in the regulation something like ‘all genders’ Iran could escape the regulation but they specifically say women. It is the case with all other Muslim countries. If in an official game they ban women from entering the stadium they will face penalties with FIFA.

So to say if Iranian officials want to sort of play with the rules can they say in International game we let foreign women in but not Iranian women?

No they cannot. The regulation says that if your country is hosting an official international game, then your country cannot deny visas to the other team, they cannot band them from entering the country and also they cannot discriminate against men or women spectators.

is there any Deadline for Iran to meet regarding this regulation?

No there is no due date. When they announced a law it should be executed. For national matched Iran can do whatever they want. But for international matches with FIFA or Asian Football federation Iran has to obey.

Do you think all this problems with women entering football stadium will resolve one day?

It has to; they have no choice. I was in the federation then and in my interviews I always said there should be no difference between women and men. Before revolution my wife and I went to stadium together. After the revolution when things changed I said: how come women can go to cinema theaters with men and not to stadiums.

People with the conservative point of view have different arguments: some say it is unsafe for women to go to stadiums and some say it is religiously wrong which side do you think is more valid?

I always say if the problem is women’s safety, there should be specific seats reserved for them with separate entrance.

Do you think the media coverage of women’s and men’s sports should be the same and equal?

I think women and men are not different: I always say people go to movies to watch the film and not the actors; the same is with football people like to see the game. Only a sick mind can think women go to see the player not the game.

The same with women’s sports news coverage: a female athlete in Taekwondo who is covered head to toe. What do I gain by looking at her if I am not following her taekwondo match? Media coverage help the growth of a sport. This chance should be given to women’s sports.

Women’s sports news coverage is 1% of the whole sports coverage!

This is the problem we think by limiting people we can solve the problem. In villages of Iran today people watch satellite and many other chip images. A Muslim women athlete is covered with Islamic athletic outfit.

Have you heard of a plan to use non-Muslim women athletes in International fields so they don’t have a hijab problem and that the plan was rejected because a non-Muslim cannot be a representative of a Muslim country?

I don’t believe in this. These are the manners I disagree with and I think they are wrong. Why should we think of sending non-Muslim women: there is a majority of Muslim women evolved. Is Hijab the only problem? Being a Muslim doesn’t allow us to deny women’s rights from them.

This is not a case about Hijab, so the solution is not sending someone who can go there without headscarf. The problem I think is that we do not accept the women’s rights. If we accept that the rest can be resolved. But women themselves are also adding to this problem.

Why?

Women do not have enough self-confidence; they don’t want their equal rights and those who go after their social rights are mostly feminists who want more rights than men not equal to them.

What do you think of Berkini?

I haven’t heard of this. What is it?

Berkini is a mixture of bourqa and Bikini. It is an Islamic swimsuit for women. Do you think it will be accepted in Iran?

I read in a news paper that Mahdavi Kany has said that in Islam women’s Hijab was not meant to be like this. Also I heard Ayatallah Montazery has given a Fatwa about women and men’s shaking hands, which is alright in his view. We need to see and hear more about the philosophy of these things.

These limits make us less responsible. When Ayatollah Khomeiny said Chess is free and not a gambeling tool, many said he was brave to say that. This shows how our limitations are baseless and not correct logically.

As the last question please tell us what are your plans in your post as a member of technical committee in FIFA for women’s sport in Iran?

I have no plans for women’s sports in Iran. The technical committee of FIFA has nothing to do with women or men’s issues. It is to with technical problems of Football.

What about the distribution of opportunities: have you any plans for that?

This is in the federation’s constitution and women are responsible for that.