Iran Recognizes Women's Rights and Opens Motorcycle Track to Female Riders

After decades of banning women from riding motorbikes in public, Iran will finally allow women to
race on a public track.

Tehran, Iran, July 17, 2017 --(PR.com)-- Tavak Partners today announce that the Islamic Republic of
Iran's Automobile and Motorcycle Federation will allow Iran's top female motocross racer, model and
activist Behnaz Shafiei, and the dozens of other women riders she has trained, to publicly use the Azadi
Race Track in Tehran.

Women riding motorbikes in public has been banned for decades in Iran. But ever since she discovered it,
Shafiei, has become the country's most celebrated female motorcycle racer and leading activist to remove
the ban. For the past three years she campaigned to persuade the Federation to allow women to have their
own race. Her efforts paid off February 3 when she and 30 other women finally raced.

Azadi Race Track hosts many of Iran's major automobile events. The first scheduled ride for women will
be Monday, July 17th, 2017, and then every Monday and Wednesday thereafter.

"This is an important moment for women in Iran, Behnaz said. First with our all-women's race and now
this. This means that women's rights are being respected and we're finally achieving our demands more
and more each day.

The decision by the Federation comes at a perfect time for Shafiei: Last month she just returned from a
month-long visit to the US for advanced motorcycle racing instruction. Besides meeting with several top
racers, Shafiei competed and trained on tracks in Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and California.

But the US visit nearly didn't happen, thanks to President Donald Trump's travel ban on Iran, working
tirelessly with his contacts at the US State Department, Hooman 'Mo' Tavakolian, President of Tavak
Partners and Shafiei's global representative, was able to open doors not typically accessible for this kind
of travel.

It was paramount that we get Behnaz into the States when we did, said Mr. Tavakolian Not only for
her training, but to help promote her cause in the States and support her growing worldwide profile.

The open Azadi track schedule means quite a bit for Iran: First, it's a sign that Iran's gender landscape is
changing and catching up to the rest of the world; second, that females can now enjoy a growing sense of
equality; and third, that Shafiei has a semi-permanent home to develop her own formidable skills and
consistently practice what she learned while in the US.

I'm excited to share in Behnaz's victory and watch her fulfill the promise of changing the perception and
lives of women in Iran, said Mr. Tavakolian. It's good to see gender equality and sports diplomacy at
work in Iran.

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About Tavak Partners:
Tavak Partners is a unique sports management and consulting company that reflects the philosophy of its
President and Visionary Founder, Hooman 'Mo' Tavakolian. Mr. Tavakolian believes that sports is a
powerful tool to impact lives and change the world. A widely sought after sports diplomat and liaison,
this former national level and USA Hall of Fame wrestler advocates peace initiatives and social progress
through sports. Since 2010, Mr. Tavakolian's athletic gear outreach program has donated over 1,000 pairs
of athletic shoes to children in the poorest parts of Eastern Europe, Brazil and Iran. Tavak Partners was
founded in 2008 and is headquartered in New York City.

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Contact Information:
Tavak Partners
David Gooding
610-952-0117
Contact via Email
goodingwriter.com

Online Version of Press Release:

You can read the online version of this press release at: http://www.pr.com/press-release/723538

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