ShahrzadNews: The Iranian Basketball Federation has banned people from taking photographs of female players during matches, even though they are covered from head to foot in ‘Islamic track suits’.
According to the ISNA news agency the women’s basketball league will be adopting a new form of Islamic cover in future matches. The games will also prepare the players for international competitions, and – it is hoped –attract new sponsors. The federation wants to attract more spectators, which they say will inspire the players to win more matches. It’s also hoped that their presence will change the attitude of the large businesses that are currently reluctant to sponsor women’s teams.
Though spectators and journalists will be given one opportunity to photograph the teams before the start of the match, the federation has banned them from using their cameras from then on. Its deputy head Fatemeh Karamzadeh said the government had not given the public permission to take such photographs, but that the federation’s own photographer would record the proceedings.
ISNA added that female basketball coaches have often complained about virtually non-existent cov
