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GOAL - Football is not just a sport. Football
is a way of life. In most countries, among most nations, men and women,
young and old, football is a source of inspiration and a fountain of
passion.
It is a game that you and I play and so does he and she. It blossoms to an
event that you and I watch and enjoy and so does he and so should she.
It is a bridge that connects hearts and minds wherever you are; we are.
It is one that makes us think as one people and one nation excited to cheer
for our team and our men and our women.
Football is the common denominator for all Iranians in Iran and abroad and
from all socio-economical segments of society. It is a game that unites.
The debate over whether women should be allowed to enter stadiums to watch
football and watch their national team play has a fundamental flaw. The
premise of this argument assumes that there is a question about this natural
right of any person, regardless of gender to enter a stadium and watch a
match.
There is “no question” about it. It is said that the stadiums’ atmosphere in
Iran are not suitable for women to enter. …then let’s address that issue. If
the outrageous argument is that “we have such deeply rooted cultural
problems that can not handle men and women in the same stadium”, then fix
that problem.
Mankind has the will to land on a planet many moons away. We have the means
to supply energy for a large percentage of the world. We have the will to
run faster, fly higher, go further and reach more audience with the latest
technologies.
We surely should have the will to solve a much smaller scale problem of
allowing men and women sitting in a stadium watching a match, peacefully and
respectfully…that is if there is “will” to do that.
What took place following the Iran – Costa Rica match is wrong. Not allowing
women to enter the Azadi stadium to watch the match was wrong and the
subsequent violence against those women who attempted to attend was “more
wrong,” is “very wrong”.
Women are not just a different gender. They are our sisters, mothers, wives
and daughters. Beating them and hurting them because they attempted to join
a sporting event and watch and celebrate their national team is beating and
hurting the sole of a nation.
It is violating our soul, mine and yours. We pick and choose when to speak
and when to hold back. This is one issue that as a sporting community we
need to speak about. Every “baby step” toward solving this issue is a major
step toward dealing with this problem.
Just like how we turn into “one people” when our national team plays on the
world football stage, we need to turn into “one community” to condemn the
acts of violence and demand for equal treatment of women in viewing and
playing sports.
Football is not just a sport. It provides joy, excitement and at times,
heartbreaks. …And the joy, excitement and heartbreak of this beautiful game
are for you and me, and him and should also be for her.
It is that simple!
Kaveh Mahjoob
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