Women separated in Tehran marathon

Iran’s first international marathon today will keep female runners off the roads amid uncertainty over US participation

TEHRAN // Women will be forced to run separately from men in what has been described as Tehran’s first international marathon today , a senior Iranian sports official said, as the participation of Americans remained uncertain. Two days before the TehRUN race, Majid Keyhani, the head of Iran’s track and field federation, still could not confirm whether Americans would participate, which countries would be represented or if visas had been issued to all participants.

The website for the race on Wednesday listed 28 Americans among the registered runners, along with participants from more than 40 countries, including the UK and Canada. It describes the run as an opportunity for “building bridges, breaking barriers”. “We have sent all runner names to Iran’s foreign ministry for issuing visas,” said Mr Keyhani on Wednesday, cautioning that the process could “take time”.

At least 160 foreign runners, including 50 women, have signed up. But Mr Keyhani said only the men would be allowed to race in the streets of Tehran – the women will have to race separately, inside the Azadi sports complex.

More than 600 Iranian runners, including 156 women, are expected to participate.

The race is being organised in large part by Dutch entrepreneur Sebastiaan Straten and his travel agency, Iran Silk Road. He expected Americans to be able to participate and said most of the registered runners had received visas.

“TehRUN is a run for international friendship and to promote street running to a large, young Iranian population,” he said. “Iranians are one of the most hospitable people in the world, and I am sure the crowd will show that to the runners.”

Mr Straten, however, opposed the decision to segregate women from men for the race.

“Personally I do not agree with that and we are trying to find other ways to make steps forward for female running in Iran.”

Since the 1979 revolution, Iran has required women to wear the Islamic headscarf and cover up except their face, hands and feet in public. They are typically not allowed to participate in sporting events outside of enclosed avenues.

The race website tells women they are required to wear a headscarf or sports bandanna that covers their hair. It also encourages them to wear longsleeve shirts that cover their hips and to avoid shorts or skirts.

“In general dress modestly to respect local customs and religion,” it says.

Female Iranian athletes have missed many international competitions since the revolution because clerical authorities disapprove of them being viewed by male spectators.

Female sports fans in turn are traditionally barred from attending male- only sporting events in Iran on similar grounds, but many women are pushing to change that practice. Mr Keyhani made a point of referring to the event as a “Persian run” rather than a marathon, although the length of the longest race is 42 kilometres – roughly the length of an official marathon. The course takes runners from the Azadi football stadium through the streets of western parts of the Iranian capital, past the University of Tehran to Ferdowsi Square. There are also men’s courses of 10 and 21 kilometres.

No professional runners are expected to participate this year, Mr Keyhani said, but he expressed hope they would in the future.

The event follows a similar run a year ago near the Iranian city of Shiraz, south of Tehran. That race drew more than 70 international participants, none of them American. No women were allowed to officially take part in last year’s race. Two Iranian women, Masoumeh Torabi and Elham Manoocheri, ran the race separately from the men in protest and are recognised on the race organisers’ website.

‘ We are trying to find other ways to make steps forward for female running in Iran Sebastiaan Straten Dutch entrepreneur behind the TehRUN