Thanks to Almanacker Rick Kane who brought our attention to the clip below.
· After Fenerbache fans invaded the pitch during a friendly game against Shakhtar Donetsk, the Turkish FA punished the club by forcing them to play their next two games behind closed doors. Then someone had the bright idea of just banning men from one of games, but allowing women and children to attend. The result? 41,000 of them filling the stadium and – judging by this clip (link below) – having the time of their lives.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMTktrNz_LI&feature=player_embedded
Well done of the Turkish FA! All football codes are more enjoyable with more women in the crowd. The current day AFL crowds are a more enjoyable experience with greater numbers of young women rather than the male drunken yobbos of the 1970’s. I would love to attend a soccer match in Turkey with this women and children crowd. Turkey is one of the best and friendliest countries to visit – I had a wonderful time driving around Turkey a few years back and Instanbul is one of my favourite world cities and Ephesus is my favourite Roman city. Women football culture has had an interesting history in Muslim countries – I know of two Australian women who have attended a women’s soccer match in Iran and they had a great time. There is also a great Iranian sports film made by Jafar Panahi called “Offside’, which is a comedy about women dressing as men and attempting to enter the all male stadium to watch a world cup qualifying match.