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The Gazette – February 27, 2007
Muslims decry soccer referee's call on hijab
Jeff Heinrich
Muslim groups reacted with dismay over the Quebec soccer hijab furor yesterday, saying excluding Muslim girls from playing sports because of their religious clothing is a blow for tolerance and multiculturalism.
"Here is the point: when this girl was given the choice between her religion and being in the game, she decided on her religion - and this will happen every time," said imam Salam Elmenyawi, head of the Muslim Council of Montreal.
"If you don't accommodate girls like her, then you're pushing them into isolation, into a ghetto, and I think this is really dangerous."
Barring hijab-wearers like Asmahan (Azzy) Mansour - the 11-year-old Ottawa girl at the centre of the controversy - just encourages those who would prefer Muslims form their own sports leagues and play outside the mainstream, others said.
In Ottawa, the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations said it's a good sign that Azzy's team supported her by walking out of the Laval tournament on Sunday.
"The tremendous support shown for the Muslim player is an indication that common sense and respect for religious differences are more powerful than arbitrary rules," the group's executive director, Karl Nickner, said in a statement.
Hijabs aren't a safety hazard because they can fastened with Velcro to come off easily in case of a collision, he added, comparing them to other headgear athletes use such as sweat bands and bandannas….
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/montreal/story.html?id=83f54850-a76c-45f9-9fd1-128a1ed390b5&k=80981
The Gazette – February 27, 2007
Ridiculous ruling on a head scarf
It's extraordinary the fuss that can be stirred up when too little information meets too many preconceptions.
On Sunday, a soccer referee ordered Asmahan Mansour, an 11-year-old sixth-grader from Ontario, to remove her hijab or scarf, calling it "a physical threat" to others playing in a junior indoor tournament in Laval.
In protest, her coach pulled the team, the Nepean Hotspurs Selects, from the meet, and other Ontario teams followed suit.
Quebec soccer officials supported the ref, saying his hands were tied by FIFA, soccer's world governing body, which regulates on-field attire. Jewellery, for instance, is banned.
Quebec Soccer Federation general manager Brigitte Frot told The Gazette that FIFA regulations specifically prohibit headgear of any kind and, hence, the ref's decision was right.
News reports then weighed in asserting FIFA rules prohibit any form of religious garb. The story climbed the news-cycle ladder until even Premier Jean Charest got involved, opining the official's hands were tied.
Not so fast. Head gear is specifically allowed by FIFA. You can confirm this for yourself (www.fifa.com/en/laws/Laws4_01.htm).
Nowhere does FIFA's code even mention religious head dress. And the relevant section of FIFA Law 4 states "modern protective equipment such as headgear, facemasks, knee and arm protectors made of soft, lightweight, padded material are not considered to be dangerous and are, therefore, permitted."
If religious symbols were excluded, Edgar Davids - also a Spur, but for London's Tottenham Hotspurs - wouldn't last long in the world's most watched league with his flowing, bouncing Rastafarian dreadlocks.
Later yesterday, Quebec officials changed tack, saying they would allow hijabs if the Canadian Soccer Association did. That's quite a switch, but if the Quebec federation was so focused on FIFA for the tournament, it should have abided by FIFA rules. And given that the Canadian association is strictly governed by
FIFA, this seems like a face-saving measure.
Regulations aside, the hijab as a physical threat is, a peculiar notion. It's a scarf, for heaven's sake.
The referee's decision was astonishingly silly. In isolation, it would be inconsequential, even laughable. But in the middle of the debate in Quebec over reasonable accommodation, the case takes on distinctly uncomfortable overtones. Call it Herouxville a Laval. "Hey, we don't go for that kind of thing here in Quebec. Do it our way or stay home."
Perhaps an apology and the adoption of a reasonable attitude - the rules are already reasonable - would persuade the Ontario teams to return to competition. In this case, it's the kids who need to be protected from the adults….
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/editorial/story.html?id=4c487ec1-2627-4eca-86d2-849f9d851bfe
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