Death of Sahar Khodayari

Sahar Khodayari (Persian: سحر خدایاری [sæhær xodɒjɒriː]; c. 1990 – 9 September 2019), also known as the Blue Girl, was an Iranian football fan who self-immolated in Tehran to protest the national laws banning women from attending sports events and entering stadiums since the Islamic Revolution. She was a fan of Esteghlal F.C., and in March 2019, she attempted to gain entry at the male-only Azadi Stadium while disguised as a man to watch a match played by the team. On 2 September 2019, she was told by the Islamic Revolutionary Court that she may face a six-month prison sentence. After leaving court, she died by suicide through self-immolation in front of the building, succumbing to her injuries a week later. Khodayari's politicized suicide generated much debate in Iran about the government's restrictions on women.

FIFA, after Iran was chosen to host select qualifier games for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, stated that women must be allowed into the stadium to watch international football matches. A month after Sahar's death, women were admitted for the first time after 40 years.