Uri Levy, Alex Smith & Idan Segev
This article was edited on November 15, 18:29 CET
There’s a controversy brewing in the world of Asian women’s football after a rival football association requested a player take a gender verification test.
Last month, in a qualification game for the 2022 AFC Women’s Asia Cup, Iran beat Jordan 4-2 on penalties, after drawing 0-0 at full time.
In the last few days a leaked document has been circulating online showing that, at the beginning of November, the Jordanian Football Association issued an official request that the AFC issue a gender verification test on one of Iran’s players - alleging the player in question is male, not female.
🚨Breaking! Jordan Football Association sent a formal letter to the AFC and requested a gender verification to one Iran's players. As recalled, Iran won Jordan on penalty shoot-out and qualified for the final tournament. Now we have to wait for the AFC answer pic.twitter.com/O1Z7r0s0DK
— BabaGol (@BabaGol_) November 13, 2021
It’s not the first time such an accusation has been made in Asian football, similar stories have been spread around for quite some time now. In fact, there have been separate allegations made against the Iranian women’s national team, in 2008, 2010 and 2015.
As the Iranian players wear hijab and long-sleeved tops during matches, rival teams have alleged that it’s ‘easier’ to hide a player’s true gender in such an outfit.
Among the allegations, it was claimed that retired male footballers reappeared years later playing for the women's team.
When you play so good that they end up questioning your gender. It’s an absolute shame.
— Kat Khosrowyar (@katkhosrowyar) November 14, 2021
Current head coach Maryam Irandoos was quoted in local media saying it was “an excuse not to accept defeat.”
President of the Jordan FA, Ali Bin al-Hussein, tweeted a letter, claiming “the Iranian Women’s Football has a history with gender and doping issues,” asking the AFC to “initiate a clear and transparent investigation” by medical experts.
At no point have any of these claims been stood up, and nobody has been found guilty of these allegations. Multiple sources are reporting that the AFC has slammed the allegations made by the Jordanian FA, asserting that the player in question is a woman.
🚨BREAKING: per different sources the AFC has slammed the Jordanian allegations regarding Zoreh Koudaei, Iranian women national team goalkeeper’s gender, and approved she is a female.
— BabaGol (@BabaGol_) November 15, 2021
Koudaei, Zob Ahan goalkeeper, has been a target for such allegations throughout the years. pic.twitter.com/rqprpDHIZS
“Nothing has been said by officials,” added Katayoun Khosrowyar, former head coach of the Iran U19 women’s team. In a Twitter post she said she knows “exactly who they are talking about, and she’s been through hell during the first set of allegations back in 2008. She has been checked and rechecked several times.”
Neither FIFA, or the Iranian Football Association, have commented publicly on the matter.
We were teammates and I practically lived with her for 8 years. She’s one of my closest friends - y’all should get to know her. Also, she’s always been talented in saving penalties.
— Kat Khosrowyar (@katkhosrowyar) November 15, 2021
“We were teammates and I practically lived with her for 8 years”, Khosrowyar tweeted in response to the gender reassessment of the player, Zohreh Koudaei, Zob Ahan goalkeeper. “She’s one of my closest friends - y’all should get to know her. Also, she’s always been talented in saving penalties”.
