Iran are accused of playing a MAN as a goalkeeper for their women's national team by rivals Jordan

Iran’s national women’s football team have been accused by rivals Jordan of playing a man as a goalkeeper during their September Asian Cup qualifier. 

The Jordan Football Association (JFA) has called on the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to launch an investigation to determine the sex of Zohreh Koudaei, who saved two penalties during the 4-2 shoot-out triumph in Uzbekistan two months ago.  

The president of the JFA, Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein, tweeted on Sunday a letter ‘requesting a gender verification check’ on Koudaei, who was wearing a hijab during September’s contest. 

Hussein described it as ‘a very serious issue if true’, and called on the AFC to ‘please wake up’.

But Iran team’s selector, Maryam Irandoost, dismissed the allegation and said it was being used to cover up for favourites Jordan’s loss. 

‘The medical staff have carefully examined each player on the national team in terms of hormones to avoid any problems in this regard, and so I tell all fans not to worry,’ Irandoost told sports news site Varzesh3 on Sunday.

Iran’s national women’s football team have been accused by rivals Jordan of playing a man as a goalkeeper (pictured: Iran keeper Zohreh Koudaei) during an Asian Cup qualifier 

The keeper saved two penalties during the 4-2 shoot-out triumph two months ago (pictured: Koudaei with an Iran team-mate after victory was confirmed in Uzbekistan)

Koudaei has faced questions in the past over her gender, as reported by Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya

‘We will provide any documentation that the Asian Confederation of Football wishes without wasting time.’  

Koudaei has faced questions in the past over her gender, as reported by Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya, and has defended herself several times in Iranian newspapers in the past. 

Iran’s win, on September 25 on penalties after a goalless draw in Tashkent, earned Iran’s women’s team its first ever appearance at the Women’s Asian Cup.  

Yet the JFA’s letter, dated November 5, cited doubts over the ‘eligibility of a participating player’.

It also alleged that the Iranian women’s team ‘has a history with gender and doping issues’, and called for ‘due process’ to be followed.

The letter details further: ‘We understand that gender verification is not mandatory for participating players, however the article (47 in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 Competition Regulations) reserves the right for AFC to investigate and take appropriate measures if there is doubt on the eligibility of a participating player.

‘Considering the evidence submitted by JFA and given the importance of this competition, we request the AFC to initiate a transparent and clear investigation by a panel of independent medical experts to investigate the eligibility of the player in question and others on the team…

The president of the JFA, Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein who is also a former candidate for the FIFA presidency, called on the AFC to ‘please wake up’

The goalkeeper has also defended herself several times in Iranian newspapers in the past

‘We are hopeful that you will follow due process to uphold the integrity of the game in Asia and look forward to hearing back from you on the outcome of this investigation.’  

Irandoost, meanwhile, simply said the accusation was being used to cover up for Jordan’s defeat, as they ‘seek relief under false pretences.’

‘These allegations are just an excuse not to accept the defeat against the Iranian women’s national team,’ she said.

‘The Jordanian team considered themselves the big favourite to qualify… and when they lost… it was natural to seek relief under false pretences and to escape responsibility for this failure.’

The 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup is set to kick off in India in January.

Koudaei’s penalty saves earned Iran their first ever appearance at the Women’s Asian Cup

The letter from the Jordan Football Association to the Asian Football Confederation ‘requesting a gender verification check’ for a player in the Iranian Women National Team 

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