| Submit your comments on this article |
| Great White North |
| Muslim soccer mom unhappy over hijab ruling |
| 2007-03-05 |
| The mother of an 11-year-old girl is unhappy with the way the rules division of international soccer's governing body handled the issue of Muslim girls wearing traditional headgear during organized matches. The International Football Association Board was asked to consider the case of Asmahan Mansour, an Ottawa-area soccer player recently ejected from an indoor game in Quebec for wearing a hijab. The referee of the game in Laval, north of Montreal, said the scarf was a safety concern. IFAB officials concluded Saturday in Manchester, England that existing rules for on-field equipment are adequate. "If you play football, there's a set of laws and rules, and law 4 outlines the basic equipment," said Brian Barwick, chief executive of the English Football Association, which is one of the board's members. "It's absolutely right to be sensitive to people's thoughts and philosophies, but equally there has to be a set of laws that are adhered to, and we favour law 4 being adhered to." Law 4 states that players "must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous to himself or another player (including any kind of jewellery)." Maria Mansour, the girl's mother, said the ejection "humiliated" her daughter. She hoped the IFAB would be sensitive to the issue. "As far as the decision, it is disappointing because... IFAB should clarify and be more sensitive to these cases," Maria Mansour said Saturday by telephone from Ottawa. "I truly think they should have (overridden) what Quebec's rule is. (Asmahan) is still hoping that Quebec will remove that rule someday so she will be able to play (in Quebec). There's nothing that has been accomplished." The Nepean Hotspurs under-12 team pulled out of the Canadian indoor championship last Sunday when a Muslim referee ruled Asmahan could not wear a hijab during a game. She has worn a the headscarf during games played in Ontario, where they are permitted by the provincial association. Quebec's Soccer Federation said the traditional scarf violated a no-headgear rule set by the sport's governing body for safety reasons. Valmie Ouellet, co-ordinator of regional technical services for the QSF, later said the referee was simply enforcing rules set by FIFA. Ouellet declined to comment about IFAB's decision on Saturday. Meanwhile, the director of the Canadian Arab Federation - who is also a Level 2 referee for the Ontario Soccer Association - maintains that traditional headgear such as hijabs, turbans and yarmulkes are worn by soccer players in Canada and around the world. Mohamed El Rashidy believes this is strictly an issue in Quebec. "To me, this ruling does not change anything because nothing needs to change," El Rashidy said by phone from his home in Mississauga, Ont. "The hijab, when worn safely, has already been allowed in the past and will continue to be allowed in the future under FIFA rules." El Rashidy said female Muslim soccer players make up a large percentage of athletes at the world's elite levels and they wear hijabs on the field. Mansour said Asmahan was back on the field Saturday in the Ottawa area. "She had a great game today and scored two awesome goals," she said. "For now, she's happy to play in Ontario." |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #9 The same folks that say she must wear this traditional headgear say she should be killed for playing soccer. Pick a tradition and stick with it. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2007-03-05 18:24 |
| #8 if she needs to hide her hair, let her wear a frikkin ski cap. or mask. isn't that also traditional religious garb? tip for Maria Mansour: shave your kids head and let her play stupid! |
| Posted by: RD 2007-03-05 15:22 |
| #7 Too bad, so sad. |
| Posted by: mojo 2007-03-05 13:49 |
| #6 I think Y'all have missed something important here, it was a MUSLIM referee who threw her out. That alone should bar any complaints at all. Quote when a Muslim referee ruled Asmahan could not wear a hijab during a game. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-03-05 10:59 |
| #5 I don't care about the hijab I just wish you'd call the bloody game by the right bloody name. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2007-03-05 10:22 |
| #4 if she needs to hide her hair, let her wear a frikkin ski cap. or mask. isn't that also traditional religious garb? |
| Posted by: PlanetDan 2007-03-05 08:41 |
| #3 Guess who would be the first to hire a lawyer if the girl had been injured during a game because of her hijab? They might even make it into a hate-crime if she gets injured. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2007-03-05 08:23 |
| #2 Maybe if the family moved to a Middle Eastern country she could pay while wearing her hijab. Uh no, that wouldn't work they don't have girls sports teams. Oh well, tough luck. |
| Posted by: Canaveraldan 2007-03-05 07:44 |
| #1 Good for you, Quebecers! If that Muzzy chick doesn't like your rules, she can go back to where she came from and stay there. Tell her not to let the door hit her in the butt on the way out. |
| Posted by: mac 2007-03-05 06:47 |