The refusal to allow 2,000 women to attend a match in the qualifying phase for the 2022 World Cup could cost Iran even exclusion from the tournament after having achieved on the pitch its right to participate in the final phase that will take place in Qatar on 21 December. next November to September 18.
The events occurred on Tuesday at the Imam Reza stadium in the holy city of Mashhad when 2,000 women were not allowed access despite having bought their ticket to witness the match between Iran, already qualified for the World Cup, and Lebanon last Asian Group A day.
read also
A situation that seemed overcome after in October 2019 for the first time in an Iran-Cambodia and, after the Covid-19 pandemic, last January, on the occasion of the Iran-Iraq, the presence, albeit reduced, of women was allowed. in the stands.
Now this unacceptable episode on Tuesday could have dangerous consequences for Iran to the point of, although the possibility seems remote, being excluded by FIFA from the 2022 World Cup.
So much so that yesterday an uncontrolled rumor began to circulate on the web according to which FIFA could take back the ‘azzurra’ after being against all odds out of their second consecutive World Cup after losing in Palermo against North Macedonia (0-1) . Nothing is further from reality.
FIFA threatened Iran
However, the prospect of an exclusion of Iran from the World Cup does not seem to be a reality despite the fact that in 2019 FIFA imposed an ultimatum on Tehran regarding the presence of female audiences in the stadiums and warned that Iran would run the risk of being excluded from international competitions not to allow women access to watch football matches.
The images released through social networks of women being sprayed with pepper spray for protesting the ban on attending Iran-Lebanon have generated a barrage of criticism in the Persian country. The Iranian government and parliament announced on Wednesday two investigations into the events of Tuesday.
The arguments of the Iranian Football Federation
The Iranian Football Federation “regretted” what happened, but said in a statement that tickets for women were not put on sale because it was decided at the last minute that the public would be allowed in the match and there was no time to make the necessary preparations for the match. that they were fans too.
According to the agency, only nine women bought tickets, but in the men’s area, and other women had bought fake tickets so their entry was not allowed.