Qatar forfeit basketball game in hijab row
The Qatar women's basketball team refused to play in their Asian Games group match against Mongolia on Wednesday after being refused permission to wear the hijab.
A spokesperson for the Incheon Asian Games (IAGOC) said the players had been asked to remove the Islamic scarf before the game at Hwaseong Sports Complex but had refused.
"As far as I know it's an issue of the international basketball federation, not the Asian Games," the official told Reuters.
According to International Basketball Federation regulation 4.4.2, among the items that are prohibited on court are: "Headgear, hair accessories and jewelery".
Qatari player Amal Mohamed A Mohamed said they had been assured they would be able to wear the hijab before they came to the Games in South Korea.
"Before attending the Asian Games, we were told that we would be able to participate in matches by wearing a hijab," she said. "However, the organisers of the Asian Games said to us that players with the hijab cannot play today’s match.
"Since we can’t take that off to take part in the match because of our religion, we just forfeited the match with Mongolia."
Mohamed was confused about why the scarf had been banned.
"I just don’t understand why we’re not allowed to play with the hijab. I don’t think the hijab is dangerous, and negatively influences the match or other players.
"We’ve attended many international competitions in Indonesia and China. Therefore, we will not attend any games in this Asian Games unless the officials change their decision." [source: yahoo.com | image: dohastadiumplusqatar.com]
Do you think players should be allowed to dress as they feel comfortable?
What a shame. Small-mindedness, it seems, is alive and well. Shame on you International Basketball Federation.
Do people, especially the like of Rip Cord, go about setting norms of decency when western women run around in bikinis? Do the Muslims bring their customs and traditions, rules and regulations and impose them on the western culture branding bikinis as nudity which it really is? Why is the west after the Muslims in every form and in every way?
for the sake of sports..let the team qatar play regardless what they are wearing as long as they are comfortable with it.
Using the term "For the Security Reason" in West to ban hijab is so folly and childish.. this takes them back to middle ages when we had no technology to detect the terror or whatever..
The lands of free, the morality preachers and the human rights advocates should respect everyone , not only those who fit in their dogma of thoughts... ask a muslim girl who loves to wear hijab , how hard or difficult it is for her to go out without that.. of course i don't like those parents or gaurdians who force their daughters to wear hijab but I am talking about those who want to wear this by their own choice and they are in millions..
There goes Rip Cord the "certified Muslim-hater" once again spewing out his venom against Muslims, branding them liars and cheats. How holy are you Rip Cord?
We are with you no need to remove hijab
A huge thumbs up to the team for sticking to their beliefs and for supporting each other in their decision. The world's sporting bodies need to reevaluate and change their dress-code rules, to allow sports persons to dress according to their religious beliefs and still to participate in matches. As long as the is no issue regards the safety of players, and they do not gain any unfair advantage by doing so, then I can't see what the issue is all about?????
I'm sorry but muslims male and female lie and cheat just like all other humans, being a muslim doesn't make you above the rest of humanity.
I don't understand the ban on the hijab unless it is for safety reasons, if they want to wear it then let them.
However those shorts are an embarrasment! Maybe they restrict movement as well.
As long as the Hijab does not give them an unfair advantage over the opposition, I don't see any issue. Unfortunately, in today's times, covering yourself is a sin and revealing is encouraged.
No matter what happens, pleasing Allah comes first. I admire these ladies. May Allah bless them. I believe that Muslima athletes should be allowed to wear the hijab. If the committee has any doubts, they should send a female inspector to check if these hijabs contain whatever cheating material it may have although I highly doubt that a Muslima would do something like that.