The ultra-conservative Islamic Republic of Iran is probably one of the last countries that would ever promote transgenderism. While it has become increasingly common to see biological males who “identify as female” participate in women’s sporting competitions in the West, one simply can’t imagine the ayatollahs permitting the same.
But that is precisely what Jordan is accusing Iran of doing recently in a qualifier for the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup.
The match took place on September 25. Following a goalless draw, Iran ended up beating Jordan by a score of 4-2 in a penalty shootout.
Jordan is now crying foul, insisting that Iran’s superior goalkeeper is not a woman.
Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein, president of the Jordan Football Association, issued a request this week for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to conduct a “gender verification check.”
بعد اشتباههم بأنها رجل.. الاتحاد الأردني لكرة القدم يقدم شكوى رسمية للاتحاد الآسيوي للتحقق من جنس حارسة #إيران بالتصفيات الآسيوية وشدد الخطاب الأردني على أن الإيرانيين لهم سوابق بالتزوير وتعاطي المنشطات.. فهل حارسة إيران للسيدات رجل أم امرأة؟#العربية pic.twitter.com/iB33HOOsIV
— العربية (@AlArabiya) November 14, 2021
Iran denied the allegation, insisting that the goalkeeper in question, like every other member of its women’s team, had been “carefully examined…in terms of hormones to avoid any problems in this regard.”