Opinion | Editorials
That's not fair play, that's a foul
Fifa's rules fall short of specifying anything about wearing the hijab. It has supported a referee's decision to ban a girl from playing football for wearing a headscarf.
- Gulf News
- Published: 00:00 March 6, 2007
An 11-year-old Canadian girl was prevented by a Muslim referee from playing a game of football for wearing a headscarf or hijab.
The controversial decision has received support from Fifa, the world body that regulates the game, on the grounds that players should not wear anything that can be dangerous to any player on the field.
However the rules fall short of specifying anything about wearing the hijab or any other religious headgear.
The rule and its implementation take on ridiculous proportions in this instance when one considers the array of head apparel on show every weekend during professional football matches across the globe.
Head-bands, hairnets, head guards, pony tails are de rigueur in a sport where image is almost as important as skill. No danger here, it appears.
Yet a young girl in a little league tournament is singled out and red-carded for innocently wearing a light cloth on her head and around her neck, tucked into her shirt. How dangerous can this be?
The application of the rule in this instance, and Fifa's collusion, appears illogical and even provocative. This surely is a case for fans to shout, "What was the ref thinking?" or "Bad decision Mr Referee."
Opinion Editor's choice
-
Russia, China complicit in Syria carnage
By Fawaz Turki, Special to Gulf News
By their double veto at the UN, they have chosen to back the Al Assad regime that is already wet spaghetti
-
Two prime ministers in trouble
By Kuldip Nayar, Special to Gulf News
Gilani faces contempt of court charge while Singh encounters moral responsibility in 2G scam case
-
Moving towards honest democracy
By Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of Russia
Russia needs to unbundle power and property and separate executive power from system of checks over it
Your turn
