Iranian women will be allowed to attend most sporting events from next year

The Iranian Government appears to have performed a U-turn after an official indicated women would be allowed to attend most sports events in the country.

The announcement comes after widespread condemnation of the country’s policy banning women from attending events featuring male competitors.

But in a radical shift in direction, Iran’s deputy sports minister Abdolhamid Ahmad told the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency that “women and their families” would be allowed to attend most athletic events from next year.

“Stadiums must become family-oriented, and the atmosphere there must be softened,” Mr Ahmad added.

Following the revolution in the country in 1979 women were banned from attending men’s sports events. And the unexpected news that Iran was softening its stance on the issue was greeted by many, including 38-year-old activist Najiyeh Allahdad.

“I am very happy,” Allahdad said.

“We have done all we could to get our rights back. This should have happened some time ago. It is now clear for me that this government is really trying hard to improve our lives.”

The issue came to the fore at the recent Asia Cup in Australia where dozens of Iranian women attended the country’s matches, with some displaying messages of support for Ghoncheh Ghavami.

British-Iranian law graduate Ghavami was imprisoned in 2014 after attending a volleyball match in the country and went on hunger strike before receiving a pardon earlier this week.

In March, Iran lost out to United Arab Emirates for the right to stage the 2019 Asia Cup. The country’s stance on women and sport and the detention of Ghavami are thought to have been major factors in that decision.

Last month, FIFA president Sepp Blatter urged Iran to lifts its ban on women attending stadiums.

“This cannot continue,” he wrote in a weekly FIFA publication. “Hence my appeal to the Iranian authorities: Open the nation’s football stadiums to women.”