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French groups protest against FIFA plan to lift hijab ban

Comment: 0 January 9th, 2012 by: admin

Groups of French protesters criticised a recent proposal by FIFA to kill an active law that disallows female Muslim footballers from wearing the hijab during matches.

According to reports, the complaints came in the form of a joint letter addressed to FIFA President Sepp Blatter, and signed by the League of International Women’s rights (LDIF), FEMIX’SPORTS and the French Coordination for the European Women’s Lobby.

The letter reportedly said that FIFA allowing female Muslim football players to wear the traditional hijab while playing is an unfair act and may be considered one of discrimination.

‘To accept a special dress code for women athletes not only introduces discrimination among athletes but is contrary to the rules governing sport movement, setting a same dress code for all athletes without regard to origin or belief,’ read the letter.

The group continued, saying that lifting the ban would not only contradict FIFA regulations, but also those set by the International Olympic Committee.

‘FIFA rules are clear,’ said the groups.  “‘The basic compulsory equipment must not contain any political, religious or personal statements” (law 4)

‘So is the Olympic Charter: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic site, venues or other areas” (rule 51).’

The proposal to consider killing the ban was championed by Jordanian Prince Ali Bin Hussein, who is also the vice-president of the Asian Football Confederation.

France’s involvement in the matter of the headgear saw the country banning Muslim women from wearing the religious garments in public back in 2004.   The niqab, or the face veil, was then banned in 2011.

Issues regarding wearing hijabs have consistently plagued international football, extending all the way to the 2012 Olympic qualifying matches, when the entire Iranian women’s squad were forced to forfeit for wearing the full Islamic headscarf.

The ruling was seen as the severance point for Iranian women’s involvement in the sport – a notion seen by the squad’s head coach as extremely limiting for the future of women athletes.

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