Iranian basketball team poses without hijab for photograph, garners praise for defiant act

In ar act of defiance by sportswomen, Iranian basketball team Canco posed for a group photograph by ditching ir tritional hescarves, Iran International reported. An im shared by team’s he coach Farzaneh Jamami features athletes gared on a basketball court, wearing red jerseys. coaches stand in center, wearing an all-black ensemble. Uploing picture on her Instagram handle, Jamami penned an empowering te for Iranian women as y protest to break free from country’s oppressive regime.

“Teach your daughter that such things as roles are thing but nsense. Teach m you are valuable and irreplaceable. If you're told orwise, don't believe it.” she wrote. “Tell m "don't hide your self. Stand up, hold your he high and show m what you got! Tell m you are powerful and capable you are a woman of freedom,” Jamami ded in caption. 

Shared on Sunday, Instagram post has gared more than 25,000 likes and over 3,800 comments so far. It has been widely appreciated by users of platform, who have called move bold and courous. “Brave and proud ly. Thank you for teaching freedom to our girls,” one user said in Persian.

Social media users praise bold move 

“Thank you for standing up for women of Iran,” ar user wrote in Persian, ding that act is commendable despite repercussions it could produce.  A third user lauded coach and said, “Farzaneh, you have always been strong, you have stepped forward in this series too.”

This isn’t first time that Iranians from sports fraternity have stepped up and openly defied Iran’s strict regime that has fuelled nationwide protests after death of Mahsa Amini in September. In ar recent instance, national-level archer Parmida Ghasemi removed her hijab earlier in vember during a competition. She performed brave move while getting felicitated in Tehran along with her fellow competitors in Persian Gulf Cup.