Women's Football Movement Quietly Revolutionizes Sport in Iran -- ATRadio

(ATR)Iranian-American footballer Kat Khosrowyar is pioneering efforts to slowly, but steadily revolutionize women's soccer in Iran.

Khosrowyar, now 27, moved to Iran 10 years ago.She has captained the Iranian women's national soccer team and now holds a seat on the sport's national oversight board, in addition to coaching the national under-14 team.

Four-thousand Iranian girls now play soccer in Iran's women's and girls' leagues, up from none in 2005, according to the country's soccer association.

Women's sports still face resistance in Iran. The women's national football team has struggled in top-level international competition and is currently in the process of being reconstituted.

Government leaders contest women even watching soccer, much less playing it in public.

Khosrowyar spoke with Around the Rings on Tuesday and said that right now, her focus is not being able to get into stadiums to watch men's soccer games.

Her focus, and the focus of her U-14 team, is winning. Khosrowyar believes that to be taken seriously, women have to first take themselves seriously.

Written and produced byNicole Bennett

Home page photo:Newsha Tavakolian/Magnum Photos

Modified sound effect:Stephan Schutze/Attr. 3.0

For general comments or questions,click here.

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics isAroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.