Women in Iran are being banned from watching live public screenings of Euro 2012 football games because of an "inappropriate" environment where men could become rowdy, a deputy police commander said Sunday.
"It is an inappropriate situation when men and women watch football in (movie) theatres together," said Bahman Kargar, Iran's deputy police commander in charge of social affairs, according to the ISNA news agency.
"Men, while watching football, get excited and sometimes utter vulgar curses or tell dirty jokes," he said. "It is not within the dignity of women to watch football with men. Women should thank the police" for the ban.
Iranian women cheer as they watch 23 May 2006 members of the national football team training at their camp as they prepare for the World Cup tournament which opens for Iran with a crucial match against Mexico on June 11. Iran is in Group D with Mexico, Portugal and Angola and has chosen the southern German city of Friedrichshafen as their World Cup base. AFP PHOTO/HASSAN AMMAR