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The Islamic headscarf is a dangerous piece of clothing—it not only compromises the safety of its wearer, but could also cause serious bodily harm to others in the vicinity. Maybe it can be used to conceal a weapon. Who knows? |
And just in case anybody needs reminding, yes, we are, of course, well into the 21st century where peace and harmony rule, with threats of wars, displacement, disease and poverty permanently banished into oblivion.
We should, however, be splitting hairs over a piece of silk, or cotton, or whatever material millions of Muslim women choose to meet their religious obligations.
This was evident yesterday when global basketball governing body FIBA’s ridiculous rules on religious attire forced the Qatari women’s basketball team to pull out of the Asian Games after they were prevented from playing with their headscarves on.
The incident struck a discordant note with sport’s avowed principle of inclusiveness which forms a key element of the Olympic Movement. Countless Asian Games banners with the message “Diversity shines here” have been part of Incheon’s and the adjoining metropolis of Seoul’s landscape for several months now.
“Please spare us that tall talk,” the young Qatari women, who were denied their chance to shine at the Games, would be tempted to say.
Qatar were supposed to play Mongolia in their opening Group A fixture at the Hwaseong Sports Complex Gymnasium when officials told them to remove their headscarves before getting onto the court.
The players, however, insisted it was their religious obligation to wear the hijab and opted not to play the tournament.
Article 4.4.2 of FIBA’s Official Basketball Rules states that players—both male and female—cannot wear any accessories with the exception of headbands, not exceeding five centimetres in width, which allow for hair and sweat to be held back in order not to hamper the player’s game.
Players are not permitted to wear the following objects on court: Finger, hand, wrist, elbow or forearm guards, casts or braces made of leather, plastic, pliable (soft) plastic, metal or any other hard substance, even if covered with soft padding. Objects that could cut or cause abrasions (fingernails must be closely cut), headgear, hair accessories and jewelry are also banned.
FIBA swears by religious neutrality—and indeed, even Sikh players from India were barred from playing with their turbans on during the Asian Cup in Wuhan, China, in July this year.
Amritpal Singh and Amjyot Singh consequently played without their turbans. At the under-18 Asian Cup in Doha in August, India’s Anmol Singh was prevented from playing with his religious headgear on.
FIBA, however, has allowed players to wear attire dictated by their religions in the 3x3 format of the game and in national level tournaments for a two-year “test” period during which the alleged hazards of playing with a hijab or a turban would be studied.
If the study proves that they are not detrimental to the safety of players, then players would be able to wear them during all tournaments across the world.
But a two-year wait to test a piece of cloth? It is beyond logic that FIBA has complicated the issue to the point that it should create international headlines from time to time.
Governing sports bodies have been often in the limelight for all the wrong reasons, mostly over issues that don’t require the application of rocket science.
FIFA, too, had conducted a two-year headscarf study before approving it last March. Why can’t the same study apply to basketball?
After all, aren’t both sports somewhat similar when it comes to sheer physicality? Had FIBA taken a cue from FIFA and approved the headscarf months earlier, Qatar wouldn’t have faced such a situation.
There was confusion about how Qatar’s women’s team found themselves in such a spot at the Asian Games. Did they not know that there was a rule that barred women from playing with their headscarves on? Or did they simply assume that the two-year test period applied to even international events held under the FIBA’s auspices?
That is, however, another story.
