Category: Volley Ball

Ghavami, Volley Ball

Print Email Facebook Twitter More Iran stripped of world championship volleyball tournament after jailing female spectator

British-Iranian law graduate Ghoncheh Ghavami

Iran says a decision by volleyball’s governing body to ban the country from hosting international tournaments as long as women are barred from watching men’s games is “unfair”.

The international volleyball federation FIVB announced its decision on Sunday, a week after a British-Iranian woman, Ghoncheh Ghavami, was reportedly jailed by a Tehran court for trying to attend a match.

An Iranian judiciary official denied on Monday that Ms Ghavami was sentenced to jail, saying her trial had not yet finished.

Ms Ghavami was detained on June 20 at Azadi (“Freedom” in Farsi) Stadium where Iran’s national volleyball team was to play Italy, after female fans and even women journalists were told they would not be allowed to attend, leading to a brief demonstration.

She was released within hours but was rearrested days later at a police station she had visited to reclaim items confiscated from her near the stadium.

The FIVB said it had informed Iran the country would not be able to organise the under-19 world championships in 2015, awarding the tournament instead to Argentina.

The FIVB will “not give Iran the right to host any future FIVB directly controlled events such as World Championships, especially under age, until the ban on women attending volleyball matches is lifted,” a spokesman said.

But the president of Iran’s volleyball federation said he had yet to receive any official confirmation of the ban.

“We haven’t received any letter from the FIVB concerning the change of host nation,” Mohammad Reza Davarzani said.

To make a connection between a non-sporting activity and our sport is unfair.

Iran volleyball federation president Mohammad Reza Davarzani

“We have had no official announcement on the decision to ban Iran from organising international competitions.

“If that is the case we will file an official complaint.”

The FIVB said in a statement that it had written to Iran’s president.

“The FIVB has been working, and continues to work, with the Iranian Volleyball Federation and other authorities in Iran to try to secure Ghoncheh Ghavami’s release,” the statement said.

“The FIVB does not normally seek to interfere with laws and cultures of any nation; however this sensitive incident merits particular attention.

“Therefore, the FIVB’s efforts in this area are ongoing in order to find a solution without putting the athletes and the fans of volleyball in the country at a disadvantage.”

Mr Davarzani said Ms Ghavami’s case was not related to volleyball and “to make a connection between a non-sporting activity and our sport is unfair”.

Iran’s volleyball team is one of the best in the world and very popular at home.

It finished 6th in this year’s World Championships in Poland and 4th at the World League.

Arrested, Female lawyer, Volley Ball

Iran jails British-Iranian woman who was detained for watching volleyball

British-Iranian law graduate Ghoncheh Ghavami

A British-Iranian woman who was arrested in Iran after trying to attend a men’s volleyball match has been sentenced to one year in jail, local media says, quoting her lawyer.

Ghoncheh Ghavami, a law graduate from London, was arrested in June at a Tehran stadium, where Iran’s national volleyball team was to play Italy.

The 25-year-old went on trial last month.

Ghavami’s lawyer said she has been found guilty of spreading anti-regime propaganda.

Her brother, Iman Ghavami, said his family was still waiting for a court hearing to officially announce the sentence.

“My parents are kind of shattered really. I mean they didn’t expect this you know, she’s already been through enough and now she’s going to get a year,” he said.

“They’re running from one office to another to see if they can get some sort of leniency or they can make an appeal.”

Earlier Ghavami’s lawyer Alizadeh Tabatabaie was quoted in Iranian media as saying the judge had shown him the sentence, but no reason was given for the conviction.

Iranian officials have said Ghavami was detained for security reasons unrelated to the volleyball match.

Britain said on Sunday it was worried about the case and the way Ghavami had been treated.

“We are concerned about reports that Ghoncheh Ghavami has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for ‘propaganda against the state’,” the foreign office said in a statement.

“We have concerns about the grounds for this prosecution, due process during the trial and Ms Ghavami’s treatment whilst in custody.”

The “Free Ghoncheh Ghavami” Facebook page, where her friends and family campaigned for her release, features photographs of her set against the slogan: “Jailed for wanting to watch a volleyball match.”

An update on the page on Sunday appeared to corroborate the one-year sentence but bemoaned the closed-door legal process that has prevailed in the case.

“This morning Ghoncheh’s family and lawyer returned empty handed from branch 26 of revolutionary court,” it said.

“It is not clear to her family and lawyer as to what the current legal basis of her detention is. A fair and just legal process according to Iran’s legal framework is the basic right of every Iranian citizen. Why are these rights not upheld in Ghoncheh’s case?”

Ghavami’s arrest came after female fans and women journalists were told they would not be allowed to attend the volleyball match at Azadi stadium in the capital.

National police chief General Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam said it was “not yet in the public interest” for men and women to attend such events together.

Women are also banned from attending football matches in Iran, with officials saying this is to protect them from lewd behaviour among male fans.