In a video, Shiite Muslim clerics said a mixed event would ‘deprive the women of Basra of their chastity and honor’
An Iraqi woman wearing an abaya robe takes part in a marathon in the southern city of Basra on Dec. 20, 2019, in support of ongoing anti-government demonstrations. (Photo: AFP)
Organizers of a marathon in predominantly conservative southern Iraq have decided to exclude women following furious controversy on social media pitting women’s rights supporters against opponents of mixed events.
The Basra marathon, sponsored by the provincial governor and several corporate donors, is scheduled to take place on Friday.
The organizers say the aim is to “shine a spotlight on the city and its tourism”.
However, “following the instructions of interim governor, Mohamed Taher al-Tamimi, participation in the Basra marathon will be open to men only,” the organizers announced on social media on Wednesday.
In Iraq, where men and patriarchal structures continue to dominate, a lot of voices calling for the race to be canceled.
In a video picked up by Iraqi media, Shiite Muslim clerics said a mixed event would “deprive the women of Basra of their chastity and honor.”
“A mixed marathon is not possible,” one user wrote on Instagram, calling for two separate events, “a marathon for women only and another for men”.
Another said they were “astonished” at the idea of women and men running together. “They all want their wives and sisters to participate in the marathon,” the user wrote, also on Instagram.
However, some people were angered by the decision to exclude women.
“Anyone who has an ounce of conscience will boycott the marathon. How can it be acceptable to bar women from participating just because they are women?” one asked.
Earlier in the week, the organizers had insisted they were “firmly committed to preserving religious values and social traditions” and they would not “authorize any behavior contrary to order and public morality”.
Women’s sports have a long tradition in Iraq dating back to the 1970s and 1980s, with women’s teams participating even today in regional competitions for football, weightlifting or boxing across the Arab world.
Nevertheless, the issue of women’s rights can be a divisive one, often provoking violent debate.
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