Football’s governing body temporarily lifts hijab ban

Football’s governing body temporarily lifts hijab ban

By Elham Asaad Buaras

IFAB's decision to temporarily lift the hijab ban comes too late for the Iranian team who were disqualified for wearing the hijab despite being on the brink of qualification

Football’s world governing body has temporarily lifted a ban on the hijab on July 5.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has agreed to “unanimously approve – temporarily during a trial period – the wearing of headscarves.”

IFAB’s Law 4 (The Players’ Equipment), imposed in 2007, ruled that a player can not wear anything that is dangerous to himself or another player and ensured that the headscarf fell under that category by listing the “basic equipment” as a jersey, shorts, socks, shin-guards and footwear.

FIFA also banned the hijab on the premises that, “The team of a player whose basic compulsory equipment has political, religious or personal slogans or statements will be sanctioned by the competition organiser or by Fifa.”

Critics agued the ban promoted inequality at the highest level of the world’s most popular game.

FIFA Asia Vice President, Prince Ali of Jordan, who led a year-long campaign against the ban, tackled the two arguments against the hijab by proposing a Velcro version and arguing the hijab no longer be viewed as “a religious symbol” but as “an abidance with culture, and discrimination and exclusiveness of players are to be avoided because of cultural costumes.”

Prince Ali commended IFAB for reaching a “unanimous and historic decision”.

“We have a substantial trial period to hear back from the players on the field, their supervisors, as well as the designers and technical institutes who have been part of this journey to evolve the most suitable, comfortable, and medically safe headscarf,” said Prince Ali

IFAB statement said: “Currently there is no medical literature concerning injuries as a result of wearing a headscarf, and therefore the decision taken today will be reviewed at the IFAB Annual General Meeting in 2014.”

Committee Member for Women’s Football and the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Sahar al-Hawari, welcomed the verdict insisting it is, “very important decision that has removed an obstacle and problem that had prevented many talented Muslim women from playing the sport.”

She told The Muslim News the the decision will “Increase the participation of female athletes and promote the sport in many Muslim countries.”

This ruling is too late for the Iranian team who were disqualified last year before kick-off for the second round Olympic qualifying match against Jordan after refusing to remove their hijab.