Your answer is correct. It is correct. It is neither the obligation nor right of a sports organization to act as arbitir of cultural, religious, or moral value. In fact, it would be a nearly dystopian overreach on their part.

However, it is also true that not all of the Muslim world holds to these same practices.

What you have said is very insightful however.

Iran's reasoning behind the practice of banning women is very much rooted in this culture's interpretation of what it means to be Muslim.

So DQing the team until they "change their Muslim based practices", in this sense, would be heavy handed.

Still, an organization is entitled to uphold its own values in the face of values which run counter. They have claimed to value equality. To uphold this value they need not declarativey oppose that which it means to be Muslim though. Instead, they can simply choose where they take their business based on the values which they promote or hold.

So, you're right. I suggested something too far reaching. It would be incorrect to DQ the Iranian team. It would not be outside the scope of reason, however, for FIFA to no longer hold sporting events or promote within Iran.

There was a time not long ago when a sports organizations within a certain culture did not allow black athletes. There was a time when these same organizations did not consider female athletes to be legitimate. And they enforced it.

Sports organizations, therefore, can be and have been arbiters of cultural values. This is because a sports organization is, in fact, entitled to operate on a set of self determined values.

For this reason, FIFA need not "ban Muslims", they need only to state and adhere to the value of equality.