Sport

VOA —Iran has blocked several dozen women from attending a major Tehran football match witnessed by the head of FIFA, the sport’s world governing body, prompting criticism from rights activists. Iranian state news agency ISNA said police “transferred” 35 women who had gone to Azadi Stadium on Thursday to try to watch the match between local rivals Esteghlal and Persepolis. …

AFP – FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that a two-year diplomatic rift between Saudi Arabia and Iran should not be allowed to get in the way of football.

Iran-HRM – Two women who were attempting to enter the Azadi Stadium to watch 86th Tehran Derby were arrested on Thursday, March 1, according to the state-run Tasnim news agency. Iranian women are banned from entering stadiums. A few months ago, one of the top ayatollahs declared that the issue is out of question and women must not enter stadiums …

RFL/RE – The president of the Iranian Wrestling Federation, Rasoul Khadem, says authorities should reverse their policy of not allowing Iranian athletes to compete against Israelis. The Islamic Republic does not recognize the state of Israel, and has an unwritten rule that Iranian athletes should not compete against Israelis in international sporting events. In practice, this means Iranian athletes feign …

RFL/RE – “Opening doors to women.” “Women’s three-pointer.” “Women have rights.” These are just a small sample of the jubilant reactions in Iran after women were allowed to attend a major men’s sporting event in the capital, Tehran, for the first time in years.

PayvandNews – The Iran men’s national field hockey team has defeated the Australian squad at the 2018 Men’s Indoor Hockey World Cup in Germany to claim the third place overall at the end of the prestigious international tournament. On Sunday, the Iranian outfit thrashed Australia 5-0 in the bronze medal game, which was staged at the multi-purpose Max-Schmeling-Halle arena in the German …

Al-Monitor – was in the Italian city of Milan on April 15, 2015, when I decided to attend the local soccer match at San Siro Stadium. Milan had been one my favorite teams since childhood, and San Siro seemed like a good choice for my first time seeing a soccer game live at an arena. Since emigrating from Iran in 2012, I had often …

RFL/RE  – North Korean and Iranian athletes at the Winter Olympics will not receive high-end smartphones being handed out to their fellow competitors because of UN sanctions, organizers said Wednesday.

PayvandNews – Iran national beach soccer team defended their Persian Cup title on Monday. Team Melli defeated Spain 4-2 in the final match in Bushehr, south of Iran. Mohammad Ahmadzadeh scored a hat trick and Moslem Mesigar was on target once for the Iranian national beach soccer team. Earlier on the day Ukraine defeated Azerbaijan 4-3 to finish in third …

PayvandNews – Iran national beach soccer team head coach Marco Octavio says the Persian Cup will be a high-level tournament with a spectacular atmosphere. The Persian Beach Soccer Cup will take place in Bushehr, south Iran, from January 27 to 29 where the hosts will go up against three of Europe’s premier sides, namely Spain, Ukraine and Azerbaijan.