(CNN) Beach volleyball is testing women's rights in Iran. Yes, beach volleyball in Iran. You may think that women's rights there are a secondary issue, compared with recent headlines focusing on a nuclear agreement, the freeing of the Washington Post's correspondent in Tehran and other prisoners, and an almost-international incident when American sailors veered into Iranian waters. But in fact, this issue goes to the heart of whether Iran upholds its international agreements. Later this month, Iran will host a prestigious international beach volleyball tournament on Kish Island, south of the mainland in the Persian Gulf. This is a first for Iran, which was selected as the host country by the Lausanne-based International Volleyball Federation, or FIVB.Minky Worden: Iran will host prestigious volleyball tournament; but women banned from watching. This violates FIVB rulesIran has jailed women for watching, she says. Iran may qualify for Olympics: FIVB and Olympic committee must demand end to ban
If there is some question about whether you get arrested, that's not fun at all, and it's not a risk _ women should have to bear. Now is the time for the FIVB to tell _ watching volleyball is no crime for women, and insist on a formal overturning of the ban.