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RIO DE JANEIRO -- Olympic security personnel questioned a female Iranian volleyball fan Saturday when she showed up for a match holding a large sign that read Let Iranian Women Enter Their Stadiums and wearing a white T-shirt with those same words.Darya Safai, who sat in a courtside seat at Maracanazinho arena and briefly cried during the ordeal because it hurts, said Olympic officials pushed her to leave the venue but she was determined to stay put.They said they didnt want the sign in front of the cameras, and they asked us to leave, said Safai, who was with friends also wearing the T-shirts. They even tried to impress me with military people. I think it is a pity they always listen to what the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran says.This is not the first time I had this experience, but I wont give up because thats what Iranian women do, they keep fighting for their rights.The International Olympic Committee bans political statements at the Games.So with all the things that happened here today at Maracanazinho, I stayed inside because it is my right, she wrote in a text message to The Associated Press.Born in Tehran and now living in Belgium, the 35-year-old Safai is the founder and director of Let Iranian Women Enter Their Stadiums! and an activist against gender discrimination. Women have generally been banned or heavily restricted from attending all-male sports events in Iran.Safai plans to try to bring her cause to Maracanazinho arena again. She wore a headband with the colors of Irans flag and face paint of the flag on each cheek.For the next game on Monday we also have tickets and we are going to do the same, Safai said.Irans volleyball team, in its first Olympics, swept Egypt for its second victory in Rio.In 2012, the longtime ban on women from soccer matches in Iran was extended to volleyball. Women have for years been trying to change the long-standing efforts by authorities to enforce strict interpretations of Islamic norms.USA Volleyball chairwoman Lori Okimura has been outspoken on the issue -- even bringing her own Let Iranian Women Enter Their Stadiums T-shirt to Brazil -- and checked in with Safai on Saturday to make sure she was OK.This is not a political statement. This is not a political issue, Okimura said. This, to me, is not about politics; its about gender. Volleyball has always been about equality. Why now are we not sending that same consistent message?Women in Iran saw Safais efforts on TV and appreciated the solidarity, taking to social media to offer their support.The Olympic Spirit, which is against discrimination, is what Iranian women need in their country, Safai said. It should be the right of everyone, men and women, to attend a sports game. It is a pity that women have to travel to Brazil to watch and cheer for their national team.Larry Bird Celtics Jersey . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. Dennis Johnson Jersey .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. http://www.celticssale.com/kids-shaquille-o-neal-celtics-jersey/ . Just not the game. 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Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday.The St. Louis Cardinals?signed former Toronto Blue Jays?reliever Brett Cecil to a four-year deal worth $30.5 million on Monday.Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said the team felt obligated to offer a fourth year to the deal because of the presence of other suitors for Cecil.I think Brett would be happy to tell you we had a lot of interest in him and we certainly value him being part of our organization, Mozeliak said. As we look at this market we really felt like he would be the key person to help us in securing a very strong bullpen moving forward.Cecil said he had never been to St. Louis before traveling with a large contingent of family members to sign his contract.This team is rich with baseball history and winning tradition, he said. Theyve always had good, winning teams and for my family and I, this is where we wanted to come.The team designated catcher Brayan Pena for assignment, in order to free a 40-man roster spot for Cecil. The Cardinnals still owe Pena $2.dddddddddddd.5 million next season.Signing Cecil fills a massive void in their bullpen following injuries to Zach Duke and Tyler Lyons.Cecil, 30, went 1-7 with a 3.93 ERA in 54 games with Toronto last season, his eighth with the Blue Jays. The left-hander missed six weeks early in the season because of a strained triceps but was a key contributor down the stretch for the Blue Jays, posting a 3.18 ERA after the All-Star break.Cecil was a first-round draft pick of the Blue Jays in 2007, when he was selected with the 38th overall pick.Duke is expected to miss all of next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and Lyons has had offseason knee surgery that leaves him questionable for the start of the regular season.Information from ESPNs Mark Saxon and The Associated Press was included in this report. ' ' '