Salam Rugby

When Iranian men see a rugby ball they joke that it's either a melon or a dinosaur egg. And the idea that women chase after one on a sports field is for them simply absurd. The Islamic Federation of Women's Sports have their work cut out trying to promote female sport in a society headed by Iran's conservative president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. However, the country's rugby federation is doing its best to open the sport up to women, who are really keen to play. Such efforts face many obstacles. Women can only use sports grounds when there are no men present, so they train indoors and only see a pitch a couple of times a year. They can't have a male trainer, or he would sooner or later be accused of harassment by the morality police. On top of all this, there is nobody to play against. Even though there are several women's teams, they are only permitted to take each other on once every two years. Female sports journalists also have it hard, often being barred entry to games. Director Faramarz Beheshti reveals the social and political dimensions of sport, which does not avoid the restrictions imposed under a patriarchal system. (One World)