- Spy agents are watching them in the stadiums
- They could be prosecuted back home
- Iran is experiencing political unrest
Iranian women attending the FIFA Qatar World Cup to support their country are concerned that covert government agents are watching them in the Qatari stadiums.
This follows heightened political unrest following Mahsa Amini’s death in September after being arrested for allegedly violating the Islamic dress code. Her death was suspicious and sparked unrest all over Iran.
Iranian football players refused to sing their national anthem before their match against England as a protest over Amini’s death. This was met with loud jeers and whistles from their own fans in the stadium.
Although Iran’s players chose to murmur along with the lyrics prior to their upcoming match against Wales, their supporters persisted in jeering the national anthem. It was in support of the demonstrations taking place back home.
Iranian football fans. Photo by AP/Alessandra Tarantino
According to The Athletic, some Iranian women fans are now concerned that government agents may be watching them during World Cup games. They say the espionage could lead to the government taking action against them upon their return.
A female Iranian fan reportedly saw a man with binoculars who kept looking at the crowd rather than the field of play. Yet another man in a suit was allegedly photographing a group of women before moving to another area of the stadium to watch other fans.
Some Iranian supporters claimed that they anticipated to see “spotters” or “spies” at the World Cup. These spies are thought to be agents of the government since many Iran citizens remain subjects even though they are abroad.
In Iran, women are closely monitored in football matches back home, and human rights campaigners say the ban is intended to suppress their right to freedom. With them in Qatar, they could be punished upon their return home.
A human rights researcher, Emma Walley remarks that football is open to everyone. Sadly, Iranian women live in a nation where they are free to watch football games, yet they are also subject to regulation.
“Ultimately, football is supposed to be for everyone. Iranian women are in a country where they are allowed to attend football matches but instead they’re still being able to be controlled,” she states.
In the meantime, a group working to abolish prejudice against women in Iran, Open Stadiums, wrote FIFA a letter in September. They requested that Iran’s national football team be disqualified from the World Cup because of their domestic issues.
Iran football fans. Photo by The Times Israel
“Without consequences against the Iranian FA and its leadership, we are also legitimately afraid that once the FIFA World Cup concludes this December, the Islamic Republic will take revenge on Open Stadiums’ women rights activists and on female football fans in general,” part of the letter read.
In their first World Cup group stage match, Iran suffered a demoralising 6-2 loss to England. It was before earning a valiant victory over Wales in their subsequent match.
They will go to the tournament’s knockout rounds if they defeat the United States on Tuesday night. However, if they draw, Iran will require England to defeat Wales or draw with them in order for them to advance.
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