Worth a Thousand Lashes

World Cup 2006

One look at Iran Team Melli midfielder Javad Nekounam (above) might explain why despite the country's ban on females entering football stadiums, some Iranian women sneak into the games disguised as males. Can't say I blame them.

In April Iran's ultra-conservative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that the women's stadium ban would be lifted, but the order was vetoed by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

BBC News reports "Six grand ayatollahs and several MPs have protested against the move, saying it violates Islamic law for a woman to look at the body of a male stranger....and it is wrong for men and women to look at each other's bodies, even if they have no intention of taking pleasure from it."

Forgive me Allah, for I have sinned. Big time.

In Germany for the World Cup 2006 Games Iran Team captain Ali Daei said he supports the ban and that stadiums are too rowdy for women and the stadium ban issue should be decided by Iranians, not outsiders.

"I personally think they should relax this ban so women can go to stadiums but considering the atmosphere in stadiums and the respect we have for women it might not be appropriate at this time," Daei stated.

"There's no danger at all but there are a lot of bad things being chanted and there's a lot of shouting at each other and we have respect for women, we don't want them to see that."

I think Daei is correct, this should be decided by Iranians and no one else.

But excuse me for being a skeptic....just why is it whenever I hear someone claim they want to 'protect women' it ultimately means restrict women?

And if there really exists this 'respect for women' of which Ali Daei speaks, then why don't Iranian males clean up their own acts instead of denying half of the population the opportunity to see their national football team play on the home field?

Sunday, June 11, Noon FINAL: Mexico 3 - 1 Iran
Saturday, June 17, 9:00 FINAL Portugal 2 - 0 Iran
Wednesday, June 21, 10:00 FINAL Iran 1 - 1 Angola