According to Radio Zamaneh, more than 130 women’s rights activists have written an open letter to the head of the International Federation of Volleyball demanding support for the right of women to watch volleyball matches in stadiums.

Iranian authorities have been preventing women from entering stadiums in Iran to watch volleyball matches.

The letter, signed by Iranian Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi and other prominent women’s rights activists, urges the federation to support the demand for an end to gender discrimination in stadiums and to denounce Iran’s refusal to follow federation regulations regarding women’s access to events.

The letter describes how women were forcibly prevented from entering the stadiums, with some even arrested in Tehran.

The activists claim that Iranian authorities have been planting a handful of female federation staff members in stadium audiences in an effort to convince international monitors that federation rules are indeed being followed.

They add that even female sports journalists are being prevented from entering stadiums in Iran.