AN Iranian football fan, who set herself ablaze and died after being arrested for trying to enter a stadium, had “confessed her mistake” during questioning, said the judiciary.

Sahar Khodayari, dubbed “blue girl” because of the colour of the team she supported, Esteghlal FC, was reportedly detained when she tried to enter the stadium dressed as a man last year.

She died of her injuries at a Tehran hospital after setting herself on fire outside court two weeks ago.

Her death sparked outrage online, with celebrities and activists using the hashtag #blue_girl to urge the sport’s world governing body, FIFA, to ban Iran from competitions and fans to boycott matches.

Women have been barred from football and other stadiums in the Islamic republic since 1981, despite international pressure to let them attend.

Iran’s vice-president for women and family affairs, Masoumeh Ebtekar, on Tuesday asked the judiciary to investigate Khodayari’s death.

The judiciary, without naming anyone, had said a young woman was arrested while trying to enter a stadium, and faced charges of offending “public chastity and insulting” law enforcement officers.

On Saturday, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said Khodayari “had clearly confessed her mistake during questioning, accepted it, and expressed regret”. He did not give further details.

Esmaili, who was quoted by the judiciary’s Mizan Online website, said no sentence was issued against her as there was no trial to begin with.

The spokesman also dismissed reports that Khodayari was told she would be jailed six months as “fabricated rumours and hearsay”.

Esmaili said such reports “stirred public opinion” and provided material for “foreigners and enemies” of Iran.

Despite the boycott calls following her death, Khodayari’s father told the Mehr news agency that she did not “sacrifice” herself for any cause.

Iran has come under pressure from FIFA to allow women to attend qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, and was reportedly given a deadline of August 31 to comply.

The Sports Ministry then said female fans would be allowed to attend when Team Melli – as the national squad is known – played their next home qualifier on October 10.

Clerics have argued that Iran’s ban on women attending sporting events is to protect them from the “masculine atmosphere” and sight of “semi-clad men”. – AFP, September 16, 2019.