Which country lets women, children watch soccer for free?

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From Comcast SportsNet
ANKARA, Turkey (AP)Women and children under 16 will watch Turkish leaguegames for free starting this weekend, part of the national soccer associationsbid to reduce violence at male-dominated games.Turkey is trying to encourage more women and children to attend games andchange matchesfrequently marred by violence, insults and obscenitiesintomore family friendly events.The country is also hoping to revive interest in a league that has beenmired in a match-fixing scandal involving 19 games last season.The measure was announced Friday and comes on the heals of the associationsother initiative to curb fan trouble. Turkish soccers governing body changedits rules to bar men from attending games played by teams sanctioned for fantrouble. It allows women and children into stadiums for free, instead of forcingthem to play in empty stadiums.As a result, more than 41,000 women and children packed an Istanbul stadiumon Sept. 20, cheering and waving club-colored flags, to watch Fenerbahce playManisaspor.The association said in a statement that it would reimburse the clubs forthe tickets they would allocate to women and children. Free tickets would bedistributed for games starting Saturday.Top-flight clubs have designated women- and children-only stands atstadiums. Besiktas reserved a stand of between 1,000-1,500 seats, Galatasarayallocated 1,940 seats while Fenerbahce earmarked 531, according to theassociation.The project will increase interest in the game, prevent violence anddisorder, dissuade ugly and bad cheering and create an atmosphere for familiesto easily watch events, the association said.The beautiful game will remain so, it added.The presence of women at the Fenerbahce game helped change the tone at theclubs 50,000-seat Sukru Saracoglu Stadium. The visiting Manisaspor team greetedwith applause rather than the usual jeers. Players from both teams tossedflowers to women in the crowd before the match.

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