I was violently removed from stadium by police by order of @FIVBVolleyball and IRI #StopStadiumBan #NoToDiscrimination pic.twitter.com/lz6ABsOVdV
— Darya Safai (@SafaiDarya) 3 June 2017
During the Week 1 of the 2017 FIVB Volleyball World League – Group 1 in Pesaro, Italy, police had to intervene. It happened in the opening match between national teams of Italy and Iran in Pool A1 when female Iranian activist Darya Safai and one more person were removed by force for holding a banner “Let the Iranian women enter their stadiums”.
It is well known fact that, by Iranian law, females are not allowed to watch matches (in any sport) live and that women activists in this country are trying to point this out to the world for a long time already. The ban has been established in 2012. The most famous case of revolt was Ghoncheh Ghavami, who was arrested three years ago.
Removed with violence by @FIVBVolleyball from stadium 4 message against #discrimination @Agenzia_Ansa pic.twitter.com/IFeDUpD6ay
— Darya Safai (@SafaiDarya) 2 June 2017
As for Darya Safai, she has already done the same kind of action during the 2016 Rio Olympics when she was taken away from the stands as well. She shared several videos of the same Pesaro incident on her Twitter profile.
Lately, some improvements are visible as Iranian authorities allowed females to attend beach volleyball matches in the Kish Island, in February, but it is still far from equality.
See the official explanation of Italian federation in regard to the incident.
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