Iran TV canceled Bundesliga match due to woman referee

Iranian state television broadcaster IRIB canceled its planned coverage of the game between Bayern Munich and Augsburg because the referee in charge was female and clothing was not appropriate.

IRIB was due to screen the game as part of their European coverage, but executives decided to cancel the game upon discovering that the referee in charge of hte match would not be a man. The referee was the highly rated Bibiana Steinhaus.

The game, in the 22nd week of the Bundesliga, saw Bayern Munich move to two points behind table-toppers Borussia Dortmund, but was not considered appropriate under Iranian because a woman cannot wear what the rules consider to be 'liberal clothes', including such garmets as shorts.