January 6 – Iran’s antiquated theocratic policy of gender discrimination has spilled over into football once again with a top player summoned to explain why he hugged a female fan.
Footage allegedly showed Ramin Rezaian, a defender with Esteghlal, the oldest professional football club in the country, embracing a supporter in front of the team bus.
Iran’s Islamic law, in effect since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, bans men and women who are not related from making any physical contact. Until a year ago, women were also not allowed to watch football from the stadiums.
The Iranian Tasnim news agency reported that Rezaeian will now have to appear before the ethics committee and explain the incident.
This is not the first time disciplinary action has been taken over such an incident.
In April, Esteghlal goalkeeper and skipper Hossein Hosseini was suspended for also embracing a female fan during a championship match. He was slapped with a hefty fine of 3 billion Iranian rials ($71,000) and a one-game suspension.
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