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Fereydoun Sheybani

Iran's state-run news agency announced yesterday that Laleh Seddigh, the country's best-known ‎international race-car driver, has been suspended from racing for one year. Seddigh was ‎suspended for allegedly "breaking the seal and changing the motor of her Saipa race-car during ‎the fifth round of Iran's race-car championships last fall." ‎

Laleh Seddigh, who was born in 1977 and is currently a PhD student, is one of only two Iranian ‎women whose name has been published in a book titled "World's Most Famous Women." ‎Seddigh has defeated male competitors several times in domestic and international races and has ‎been referred to as the Iranian "Schumacher" by various international media outlets, including ‎the CNN. However, Iranian racing officials have prevented her from taking part in several ‎competitions on different pretexts. ‎

A confident racer from a well-off and educated family, Seddigh has been racing in Iran for years, ‎with her father's support. She has avoided controversy and has consistently managed to remove ‎barriers to her participation in this male-dominated sport. She intends to appeal the racing ‎federation's decision by appealing to international racing rules. ‎

Iran's state-run news agency reported last week, "the actions of Laleh Seddigh of Saipa team ‎have Iran's racing fans waiting for the racing federation's decision." Seddigh took part in a ‎competition after breaking the seal on her car's motor and modifying it without notifying the ‎relevant officials. ‎

Seddigh told reporters after hearing about her suspension, "This is a biased decision that is not ‎supported by factual evidence. If I list my reasons in any court, they will realize that I have ‎neither cheated nor broken any rule. If what I did was cheating, then why is it not cheating to ‎participate in open racing classes without sealed motors? My race-car had a problem after the ‎first timing and mechanics were not able to fix the problem. I had to race with a different car. I ‎was at the racing track until the final moments, so the controversy about me leaving in the ‎middle of the race is biased." ‎

According to IRNA, Seddigh also criticized racing federation officials: "Selecting people who do ‎not meet the criteria for attending international classes causes the federation to lose its ‎champions and creates division among racers." ‎

Seddigh added, "Racing did not have a large following but after women began participating the ‎press paid more attention to it." ‎

This 31 year-old Iranian women intends to appeal the racing federation's decision to suspend her. ‎Given Laleh Seddigh's international profile, the ruling is certain to damage Iran's standing in ‎international racing circles. Racing was a dead sport in Iran after the 1979 Revolution, but was ‎brought back to life thanks to unending efforts by some of the sport's giants such as Hossein ‎Khodaparast, Hossein Gazrani, and Esfandiari, among others. ‎