Posted on 10/03/2006 6:26:53 PM PDT by blam
Iran's female racing champion barred from defending title
Robert Tait in Tehran
Wednesday October 4, 2006
The Guardian (UK)
She was the speed queen of the racetrack who became a feminist icon after triumphing over an all-male field to become Iran's national car rally champion. But now the high-octane driving career of Laleh Seddigh has juddered to a halt, with a ban from participating at a race by the country's motor racing authorities. Seddigh, 29, was walking towards her 1600cc Peugeot 206 at Tehran's Azadi stadium when stewards blocked her way, citing "security problems".
The snub followed days of wrangling with Iran's racing federation over her right to take part in an event she won two years ago on her way to becoming national champion. In the lead-up to the race, she was told her participation was not guaranteed but was advised to register her name. Her registration was passed after technicians gave her car the all-clear. "I thought I had been given the go-ahead," she said. "I was walking towards the grid thinking, thank God this has been resolved, when they shut the door on me. They said they didn't know why, but the head of the federation said I wasn't allowed to participate."
It was the first time Seddigh, whose exploits earned her the soubriquet "the little Schumacher", had been excluded from a contest. Senior federation officials said they had been unable to obtain permission for her participation.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Let her enter as a man. They all look like men anyway.
ouch.
Sort of looks like an Iranian version of Angelina Jolie...
She dosent look like a man to me!
Caption: So, the first guy threw this big piece of glass at my head, but I reached up and caught it, like so...
Persian women are goddesses.
And she did it all at 200mph.
Good hand eye coordination I'd say ;)
She is very striking...I agree with the previous poster, we should import her over here.
Since she's unlikely to pose for Playboy, Maxim, etc, I think she'd be a very positive female role model.
She is determined to improve her already high performance
With her father's encouragement, she has devoted her academic career to preparing to succeed him in the family business. She received a bachelor's degree in industrial management and a master's in production engineering, and is now working on her Ph.D. in industrial management and production, all at Tehran University.
I dunno, one of the most drop dead gorgeous woman in my office of 6,000 people is a young woman of Iranian decent.
She is awesome.
She's young enough to be my daughter, but my opinion is widely shared.
I guess it's a bad thing when the chicks beat your odds-on favorite. Ask Saddams' sons, they would agree.
Iran (Persia) is a crossroad to many nations and races. Migration, intermarriages and etc will produce exotic looking women.
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