SyndiGate - Former Iran international Ali Karimi has joined current national team captain Masoud Shojaei by calling for the lifting of a stadium ban for women.

The ISNA news agency on Monday quoted Karimi as saying that the nation's president, Hassan Rouhani, and Iran's football federation should set the stage to end a 38-year ban for women imposed by the religious leadership after the 1979 revolution.

"Millions of Iranian women want to see the games and their favorite clubs in the stadium ... that should be made possible," ISNA quoted Karimi as saying.

The 129-times capped Karimi was Asian Footballer of the Year in 2004 and spent a part of his career in the German Bundesliga. He is new coach of Tehran-based top flight club Naft.

Shojaei had last month reportedly made a similar request at a meeting with Rohani, the first footballer to speak out in such a way.

Rouhani and is government are said to oppose the ban as well but have not been able to lift it against the powerful clergy which says that sports arenas are not a place for women.

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