A number of 159 woman athletes, 44 coaches, and 15 heads will represent Iran in the 3rd Tehran Muslim Women's Games to start on October 25, reported Iranian official news agency (IRNA).
The Muslim states are to take part in the contests consisting of 15 different sporting fields.
The manager in charge of common affairs of Iranian women's sports associations told the agency that, "Iran will participate in the tournament with 4 tennis players, 4 chess players, 5 table tennis sportswomen, 6 gymnasts, 7 badminton athletes, 8 marksmen, 8 tae kwon do players, 12 basketball players, 12 fencers, 12 volleyballers, 12 futsal players,
13 karatekas, 15 track-and-field sportswomen, 16 handball players, and
25 swimmers."
Robab Shahrian added, "The sportswomen have attended the training sessions of the national teams as of the new Iranian year (started March 21)."
The Iranian sportswomen are to play friendlies against home and foreign-based athletes ahead of the Tehran games, concluded the manager.
Women in Iran are getting their way in sport and recreation after reformist President Khatami rose to power in 1997. He has actively promoted sport for women. Women covered from top to toe, according to strict dress codes, play football, go jogging, scuba diving, jet-skiing even paragliding. But these activities are done in segregation – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
