In a recent and heavily criticized incident, Iranian state-owned TV censored an important live soccer game more than 100 times because of the mere presence of a female referee.
The incident took place on Sunday during a game between Premier League giants Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspurs. In the game, there was a female referee in a regular soccer referee uniform consisting of a jersey and shorts.
Rather than being allowed to enjoy the game, Iranian viewers had to tolerate the game getting cut more than 100 times because the TV station could not show the referee’s legs.
“Shocking though it seems, Islamic Republic leaders do not allow a woman with her hair uncovered and her bare knees to be shown on the state-owned TV,” wrote the Iranian NGO My Stealthy Freedom, an organization dedicated to empowering Iranian women.
Iranian state TV channel cut away from live coverage of Tottenham versus Manchester United more than A HUNDRED times 'to avoid showing the bare legs of the female assistant referee'.#PL #seanknows pic.twitter.com/L0MN8mRLAk
— Sean Cardovillis (@sean_cardo) April 14, 2021
Many, including Iranians, are calling out Iran for gender discrimination. According to Newsweek, one of the game commentators even allegedly said he “hoped the viewers enjoyed the geographic show.”
