TEHRAN – While many believed that women sports by wearing a hijab is a difficult and impossible task, the success of the Iranian women proved that hijab did not prevent them from shining in international competitions.

The issue of women's sports after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979 faced many challenges. Because many believed that women sports by wearing a hijab and Islamic clothing are a difficult and somehow impossible task. But with the passage of 44 years since the victory of the Revolution, we have seen that the hijab did not prevent women from turning to sports and shining in sporting events.

Despite facing major challenges in this field, Iranian sportswomen were able to force the world federations to accept their Islamic clothing with their active presence and hard efforts.

One of the international competitions where Iranian women made significant progress was the Asian Games. In each edition of these games, the Iranian women athletes have been able to win more medals than the previous ones. 

Before the Revolution, Iranian women only won 5 medals in Asian competitions, but after the Revolution, women gained more successes in sporting events despite wearing hijab.

14th Asian Games (2002, Busan)  

Parvaneh Mohammad Taghipour Tehrani was the first Iranian female medalist after Islamic Revolution in 2002 Asian Games held in Busan, South Korea who won a bronze medal in Taekwondo competitions. Iranian women athletes also managed to win a silver medal in the 10-meter team shooting at the Busan Asian Games.

Referring to the successful participation of Iranian women athletes in world competitions while wearing hijabs, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in one of his speeches said, “Iranian women are among the most outstanding in athletic competitions. One is truly unable to praise them the way they deserve. Iranian women wearing hijab stand on podiums receiving medals in front of hundreds of millions of global TV viewers. This is not trivial.” (July 27, 2022)

15th Asian Games (2006, Doha)

In the 2006 Asian Games held in Doha, Iran ranked 6th with 11 gold, 15 silver and 22 bronze medals.

The Iranian team consisted of Mehdi Ghaemmaghami, Elshan Moradi, Atousa Pourkashiyan [the only female athlete in the team] won the bronze medal of the competitions.

Two Iranian female athletes Mehrouz Saei and Afsaneh Sheikhi each won a bronze medal in Taekwondo competitions in the Doha games.

16th Asian Games (2010, Guangzhou)

Iranian female athletes did their best in the 2010 Asian Games held in Guangzhou, China, and won colorful medals in various disciplines.

Iranian women's kabaddi team gained the bronze medal of the 2010 edition. 

Fatemeh Chalaki and Samira Malekipour each received a bronze medal in female Karate.

Iranian team managed to win a bronze medal in Women's Lightweight Rowing in this edition of the Asian Games. 

Elahe Ahmadi won a silver medal in shooting competitions in Guangzhou and Iranian female athletes also gained the silver medals in the 10-meter and 50-meter team shootings in the Guangzhou edition.

Rahele Asemani and Sara Khoshjamalfekri each received a silver medal in Taekwondo competitions and Samaneh Sheshpari and Sousan Hajipour snatched the bronze medal of the competitions. 

Iranian women athletes Khadijeh Azadpour and Elaheh Mansouriyan grabbed gold and bronze medals in Wushu competitions.

In a speech delivered in a meeting with the officials of the Athlete Martyrs Congress on January 11, 2016, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “Another example is that a female athlete from our country stands on the medal podium wearing a hijab. This is very important. Who can tolerate the critical and questioning looks of the materialistic world in which a woman’s honor lies in appearing naked in sports competitions? Men appear covered from head to toe, but women should definitely appear naked. Part of their bodies should be naked and open to eyes. This is a wrong, deviant, devious and political measure.”

17th Asian Games (2014, Incheon)

The Iranian female athletes, capably presenting with Islamic hijab, won two valuable gold medals and a total of 16 medals for the first time.

In the past rounds of Asian Games, 88 female athletes participated who were able to win 14 medals but during this edition, only 58 female athletes won 16 medals.

In females10-meter air pistol, Najmeh Khedmati won a gold medal and Narjes Emamgholi grabbed a silver medal. Iranian female team also won silver medal in 10-meter pistol section. 
Leila Rajabi snatched a silver medal in weight throw competitions. 

Arezou Hakimi, Sonia Gomari and Solmaz Abbasizadeh each received a bronze medal in 200-meter single kayak, single slalom, and single rowing, respectively. Also, Iranian female team rowing won the bronze medal of the competitions. 

Iranian women's kabaddi team gained the silver medal of the 2014 edition.

Hamideh Abbasali grabbed a gold medal and Fatemeh Chalaki and Nasrin Doosti each received the bronze medal in female Karate.

In Taekwondo competitions, Fatemeh Rouhani and Akram Khodabandeh each gained a silver medal and Sousan Hajipour won a bronze medal.

Elaheh Mansouriyan snatched a silver medal in Wushu competitions.

18th Asian Games (2018, Jakarta-Palembang)

Iran’s sports delegation was dispatched to the event with 378 athletes in 42 disciplines including 280 male and 98 female athletes.

Iran received its first gold medal in females Kabbadi. 

In Taekwondo, Marjan Salahshouri and Nahid Kiani won silver and bronze medals, respectively. 

Elahe Mansourian, Shahrbanoo Mansourian and Zahra Kian each gained a silver medal in Wushu competitions of 2018 edition of the Asian games in Indonesia.

Iranian female athletes Taravat Khaksar and Rozita Alipour won silver medals, Pegah Zangeneh grabbed and Hamide Abbasali grabbed bronze medals in Karate competitions.

Females heavyweight team rowing (silver), female lightweight individual rowing: Nazanin Molaei (silver), female lightweight double rowing (silver), single kayak: Hedieh Kazemi (silver), females heavyweight double rowing (bronze) were among the other medals were achieved by Iranian women athletes in Rowing, Kayaking & Canoeing competitions. 

In Rifle 3 positions, Mahlagha Jambozorg won a bronze medal and in Pencak silat: Tahmine Karbalaei snatched a bronze medal in the Indonesian edition of the games.

“In such a world, a woman stands on the medal podium and receives her award while wearing Islamic hijab. This is very important. This is even more important than the raising of our flag because it shows the strong Iranian-Muslim spirit. This shows that such an individual is not defeated and overcome by a wave of illusions and illusionary feelings… These things are very valuable,” Ayatollah Khamenei said. (January 11, 2016)

Of course, these are only a small part of the successes of Iranian female athletes in international and world competitions. In the next article, more achievements of women athletes in other sporting events will be covered.