Boxing is a forbidden sport

In Iran, several thousand female boxers train illegally and secretly in the basements of houses, parks and underground clubs. In Iran, boxing is forbidden for women, but athletes compete in world championships abroad and often win. Dr. Mahin Farhadizad, Deputy Minister of Sports in President Rouhani's government, said about the ban on such sports as boxing and powerlifting for women: "We cannot accept a sport that affects the entire body system and physiology of women."