Football Against Racism in Europe opposes FIFA ban on Islamic dress

FARE has published a statement on the ban on religious clothing by FIFA. Here is an extract:

The Executive Director of FARE, Piara Powar, today said, “The ban on the wearing of religious headwear in football is misguided and wrong. It contravenes the right to religious freedom on the pretext of safety.

“The ban impacts heavily on one religious and gender group in particular - Muslim women – whose choice to wear a hijab during games should be respected as a legitimate expression of their religious identity.”

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We cannot agree with FARE on this matter. Sport is not about the expression of ones religious beliefs: it's about sport, and the rules are the same for all. When an athlete walks on the field of play, she follows the rules of the game, not the Koran or the New Testament or the Torah. An athlete is an athlete, not a Muslim athlete or a gay athlete or a Tory athlete.

Moreover, in countries like Iran where women are repressed as women, where the religious law consistently oppresses women, it is laughable to imagine that a member of the national team is able to freely choose religious garb: to refuse means not being selected at best.
The rules of sport, whether Olympic Sport or those of FIFA itself, attempt to protect sport from the influence of religion.

Olympic Charter

Principle 5 of the Olympic Charter: Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.

Mission and role of National Olympic Committees: The NOCs must preserve their autonomy and resist all pressures of any kind, including but not limited to political, legal, religious or economic pressures which may prevent them from complying with the Olympic Charter.

Rule 51: No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.

FIFA's own rules state: Players must not reveal undergarments showing slogans or advertising. The basic compulsory equipment must not have any political, religious or personal statements.