Iranian women's soccer team disqualified by FIFA from match

[MdmeX]

Iranian women's soccer team disqualified by FIFA from match for wearing hijab scarves, track suits

By Cory Siemaszko
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, June 7th 2011, 2:00 PM


EPA

Iranian national women soccer team cry after their match was cancelled by FIFA after the Iranian authorities refused to allow their players to remove their headscarves and track suits.


The Iranian women's soccer team got the boot after they showed up for an Olympics qualifier match against Jordan wearing Islamic head scarves.



They had been "informed thoroughly" by FIFA, the world's soccer governing body, that they would not be allowed to wear hijab scarves for safety reasons.

"Despite initial assurances that the Iranian delegation understood this, the players came out wearing the hijab, and the head and neck totally covered, which was an infringement of the laws of the game," FIFA said in a statement.

So the Bahrainian referee awarded Jordan a 3-0 victory that left the Iranians fuming.

"I will file a complaint to FIFA against the individual in charge of holding the match," vowed Ali Kaffashian, the Iranian Football Federationpresident.

The Jordanian team also objected to the hijab ban before last Saturday's game, but were able to field a team of players who had no religious objections to playing without the head scarves.

FIFA banned the hijab in 2007 because of the potential choking danger.
Many conservative Muslim women wear the hijab for modesty reasons and complain that the specially designed FIFA caps don't cover enough skin.
In refusing to play without their hijabs, the Iranian soccer players also forfeited their match against Vietnam, all but dooming their chances of advancing to the London games in 2012.

csiemaszko@nydailynews.com

[MdmeX]

What the hell dem bawling for now. Tek off the damn head scarf, grab some makeup, model yuh shorts and show some legs, - what's so hard about that

[Peter R]

If dem goin to play WC in a place like Qatar in June dressed like dat... it will wet head scarf contest time; the fundamentalists need to get over it and do the practical thing for their sportswomen...

[technic]

Logic and religion has never co-existed.

[Rockman]

FIFA has to do better than that,as the world football governing body they should allow players to follow their religion,as to the team playing in high temperatures,this is nothing new,they have been following that dress code on and off the field.

[Hortical]

I agree, mek the women role ball and lef dem alone. The nerve of Sepp Blatter who once said women should wear tight shorts to make their game more appealing.

[Peter R]

I am not suggesting that FIFA is correct... I am suggesting that the religious zealots are not a practical bunch... if their Federations (in any sport) would like the women to have a better chance to experience success, pragmatism should dictate... could you imagine one of these women trying to do any field event in T&F and having a hope of excelling dressed like that? Do their sportswomen compete in swimming? I don't know but it would appear to me that the dress code removes a host of sporting activities available to women. These women will be forever condemned to be controlled by the men who dictate these man-made dress codes.