FIFA proud of its achievements in fight against racism, while continuing to promote homophobia, sexism, and antisemitism

From SportAndDev.com, a look back at FIFA's efforts in the fight against racism in football. One wonders how FIFA can claim to be so enlightened with regard to one form of discrimination, and so willfully blind to others:

Football is universally [sic] and deservedly [sic] known as ‘the beautiful game’. But even the most beautiful of things have ugly defects, and football, which is no exception, has racism.

Albeit a serious problem, it is one on the decline - in no small part due to the Buenos Aires Resolution, which was passed by the Extraordinary Congress of FIFA on 7 July 2001. To mark its tenth anniversary, FIFA.com will begin publishing interviews on racism and discrimination in football with a series of personalities, starting with Anthony Baffoe. He played international football for African giants Ghana and has helped FIFA in the enduring fight against racism.

FIFA had, of course, been committed to the cause long before then. “FIFA took the strongest stand possible in the fight against racism by expelling apartheid South Africa in 1961 and readmitting them [in 1991] after the release of Nelson Mandela,” explained Tokyo Sexwale, the High Commissioner to the organisation’s 'Say no to Racism' campaign.

Why is FIFA homophobic? It's Beyoncé's fault. Really. Sort of.

From The Daily Beast:

How FIFA Outgrew Homophobia–Almost


The inside story of how a gay-rights activist nearly persuaded the World Soccer Federation to clean up its act and denounce heterosexist bigotry. Stefan Theil on an ugly record of prejudice and discrimination.
Jul 1, 2011 8:09 PM EDT

One of the mightiest bastions of homophobia in the developed world recently came tantalizingly close to falling. The not-quite occasion was the June 26 opening of the women's soccer World Cup in Berlin. The sport’s governing body, FIFA—the scandal-plagued World Soccer Federation—has come under attack lately for its unenlightened attitude toward gays. The uproar began with the federation’s controversial decision to award the 2022 men's World Cup to the authoritarian gulf emirate of Qatar, where homosexuality is outlawed and gays are legally subject to flogging and imprisonment. Then FIFA’s president, Sepp Blatter, really put his foot in his mouth at a press conference last December when a reporter raised the question of gay soccer fans who would be afraid to attend. Blatter laughed out loud and quipped: “Then they should refrain from any sexual activities.” (He later apologized).

The criticism grew even more furious this June, when The New York Times quoted the Nigerian national women’s coach, Eucharia Uche, as crediting Christian prayer and “divine intervention” for helping to purge all lesbians from her team. (Divine intervention did not prevent Nigeria from losing to France one-to-nil on the Cup’s opening day.) FIFA later issued a statement saying Uche denies “allegations” that she made any homophobic remarks.

In any case, such bigotry goes far beyond Nigeria. Last November, for example, Croatian soccer president Vladimir (Vlatko) Markovic publicly vowed never to allow gay players on a Croatian team because “only healthy people” play soccer. With attitudes like this, it’s hardly surprising that not a single big-league male player in any of the 208 FIFA member countries has ever come out as gay. Only in women’s soccer have a few lesbian players come out of the closet in recent years—and at least one, South Africa's Eudy Simelane, was gang-raped and murdered in 2008 after revealing her homosexuality. South African gay activists say the crime was an example of "corrective rape," a practice that some South Africans consider a way to turn lesbian women straight.



FIFA’s Stone Age views seemed likely to persist indefinitely—that is, until the federation ran into Robert Kastl, the organizer of Berlin’s annual Gay Pride Parade. Sloppy organizers in the host city had promised both FIFA and Kastl the use of the central square in front of the iconic Brandenburg Gate for their respective events on the same day, June 25—FIFA for the official World Cup opening event the night before the first game, and Kastl for the 700,000 revelers attending the parade [Note: At which the FGG and GLISA International were presented with the organization's Civil Courage Prize].



Kastl sent the 75-year-old Blatter a letter—half-jokingly and not even expecting a response, he says—offering to reroute the parade if FIFA would agree to issue a public denunciation of homophobia. The federation had taken similar steps in the past by launching high-profile campaigns to combat racism and soccer hooliganism. Hoping to win the coveted space without a public brawl, World Cup officials gave in to most of Kastl's demands, with the backing of FIFA headquarters in Zurich. According to people directly involved in the negotiations, including Kastl, a Berlin city official, and two World Cup organizers, the two sides reached agreement that FIFA would not only explicitly denounce homophobia with a first-ever official statement from Zurich, but the federation would also include sexual orientation in its anti-discrimination campaign and would advertise the fact on a field-side billboard in Berlin's Olympic Stadium during the opening game.

It was not to be. On the brink of FIFA’s historic announcement, World Cup organizers abruptly canceled the Brandenburg Gate event. They had hoped to attract blockbuster stars like Pink or Beyoncé, but by early spring hadn't signed up any big-name talent. No longer needing the Brandenburg Gate as a backdrop, the federation backed away from its commitments. "The reason FIFA no longer feels obligated to continue is that this issue is still very difficult for them," says a German soccer official speaking on the condition of anonymity. "There are a lot of member countries that still have problems with homosexuality, to put it mildly. And the people running FIFA are of a generation that has great difficulties speaking openly about the subject."

And FIFA seems to think it has more important fights to fight. In response to Western worries that the 2022 World Cup would be a boring affair in mostly dry Qatar, the emirate has agreed to allow special fan zones inside the stadiums where alcohol will be permitted, so that fans can get properly tipsy to enjoy the games. Just as long as they don’t get too close to each other.

More on Iranian religious repression of women athletes

As this story from Reuters shows, there is no point in compromising on the Olympic Charter's ban on the interference of religion in sport. After a small religiously imposed head covering was allowed, Iran now wants a full head covering:

FIFA say Iran's women were warned about dress
Mon Jun 6, 2011 11:46am EDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Iran were warned about dress code rules which led to their women's team being banned from an Olympic qualifying match last week, soccer's world governing body FIFA said on Monday.

Iran had said it would complain to FIFA after the women's team were stopped from playing a second-round qualifier for next year's London Olympics because of their full-body strip, which includes a head scarf and conforms to the Islamic dress code.

Opponents Jordan were awarded a 3-0 win and Iranian officials said the decision could cost them a place in the 2012 Games.

FIFA said both teams had been reminded before Friday's match about its rules and that, as a result, Jordan had decided not to select several players. "FIFA's decision in March 2010 which permitted that players be allowed to wear a cap that covers their head to the hairline, but does not extend below the ears to cover the neck, was still applicable," FIFA said in an e-mail to Reuters. "Despite initial assurances that the Iranian delegation understood this, the players came out wearing the hijab, and the head and neck totally covered, which was an infringement of the Laws of the Game. The match commissioner and match referee therefore decided to apply correctly the Laws of the Game, which ended in the match being abandoned."

CHANGES MADE

In Tehran, the head of women's affairs at Iran's football federation said Iran had made changes to its women's kit after a previous FIFA ban last year and believed it had been given the approval of the world federation and its president, Sepp Blatter.

"We made the required corrections and played a match afterwards," Farideh Shojaei told Reuters TV in an interview. "We played the next round and were not prevented from doing so, and they didn't find anything wrong. That meant that there are no obstacles in our path, and that we could participate in the Olympics."

FIFA's rules for the 2012 Olympics state: "Players and officials shall not display political, religious, commercial or personal messages or slogans in any language or form on their playing or team kits."

Shojaei added: "In reality, this kit is neither religious, nor political, nor will it lead to harm to a player. " [Note: the women are obliged to wear this gear for religious reasons, so it's hard to swallow this line.] She said the ruling meant the team were now unlikely to qualify for the Olympics. "The countries that invested, and spent money and time and took part in the second round will clearly not be willing to repeat these games, especially if this week it becomes clear which team will enter the final round. So it is extremely unlikely."

And from Inside the Games:

June 7 - New FIFA vice-president Prince Ali of Jordan promised today that he will try to find a solution to the row which has seen the chances of Iran's women's Olympic football team competing at London 2012 because of their refusal to stop wearing their Islamic headscarf.

|...]
"This is an important issue that I will raise with the Asian Football Confederation and with FIFA," said Prince Ali, who officially joined FIFA's ruling Executive Board in Zurich last week. "We will work together to find a solution that respects the rules of the game and the culture at the same time. Football is about fair play and respect and I am confident that we can resolve this issue."

Iran's Ambassador to Jordan, Mustafa Muslah Zada, claimed that the "the entire issue was politically motivated". He said: "FIFA should reconsider its decisions which harm Iranian players. If FIFA continues to impose a certain dress on women, it will lose a lot of players from Arab and Muslim countries. It is not a sports or football issue. It is a political issue. Politics should not be mixed with sports. What happened was a violation of human rights as well as international and Olympic Charters." [Note: Hah!]


A similar row involving Iran's junior women's team erupted before last year's Summer Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. Islamic guidelines require [sic] women to cover their hair in public but the laws of football requires the neck and ears to remain uncovered.

Following that row, to be in line with FIFA rules, Iran's teams designed a special headscarf that players wrapped tightly around their heads and necks, which allowed them to participate in the Games in Singapore. "We made the required corrections and played a match afterwards," said Farideh Shojaei, the head of women's affairs at Iran's Football Federation. We played...and were not prevented from doing so, and they didn't find anything wrong. That meant that there are no obstacles in our path, and that we could participate in the Olympics."

Shahrzad Mozafar, who was the coach of the Iranian girls team in Singapore, claimed that this latest decision could have serious implications for the future of women's football in the Islamic Republic. "This ruling means that women soccer in Iran is over," she said. "Headscarves are simply what we wear in Iran. When a serious women athlete can't participate internationally, which ambitions are left for her?"

But Prince Ali, whose siblings Prince Faisal and Princess Haya are both members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), vowed to find a solution so that women from Islamic countries would not be discriminated against. "I am a firm supporter of women's football and I am keen on addressing all related issues to ensure that all girls and women can play this beautiful game across the continent," he said.

ACT NOW: Petition against religious-based homophobia at the FIFA Women's World Cup

For so many young women around the world, playing at the World Cup is a dream come true.
Can you imagine being denied that dream simply because of who you love?

We are asking you to support a petition against religious-based homophobia in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
[Sign HERE]

This Sunday 26 June, Nigeria will take the field against France in Sinsheim, Germany for the opening game of the World Cup. The players on this team, and the players excluded from this team, are victims of religious-based homophobia, a witch hunt reported this week in the New York Times, aimed as kicking women off the national team, “not because they were bad players, but because they were lesbians.”

This petition, supported by the Federation of Gay Games and the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association, among others, urges FIFA, football's international governing body, to publicly condemn this kind of systematic discrimination and to sanction the Nigerian Football Federation in order to bring an end to this discrimination and abuse.

Tell FIFA that homophobia has no place in the “beautiful game”.

Emy Ritt of Paris, co-president of the Federation of Gay Games stated that the FGG would be wholeheartedly supporting the petition, and asking its member organizations and friends of the Gay Games to sign: The truest values of sport are those of sport for all. This means sport in which everyone is welcome and everyone is safe, whatever their sexual identity and sexual orientation. The actions of the Nigerian team are contrary to our values of participation, inclusion and personal best for all, which should be the values of FIFA and sportspeople everywhere.

Klaus Heusslein of Milan, co-president of IGLFA said: Nelson Mandela said: 'Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where was previously only despair.'

Sport can be, must be, a power for good. We must make sure that every athlete has the right to be part of sport’s mission for a better world, regardless of sex, race, religion or sexual orientation. The right to participate in sport is a human right, a right for everybody, for all Nigerians, for all women, for all whomever they love.

We therefore fully support this petition and will ask our members to sign in accordance with our shared convictions.
[Sign HERE]

Even before the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup kicks off this Sunday in Germany, FIFA’s rules have already been broken. These are the rules against discrimination and the interference of religion in sport. In the battle against bigotry and discrimination, FIFA, under fire for its own moral lapses, can demonstrate a real commitment to the values of sport, a sport in which the “Laws of the Game” apply, rather than the Bible or the Koran.

Since this damning report, FIFA has remained silent. And yet given FIFA’s history, we would expect the federation to promptly condemn such discrimination. In 1961 FIFA expelled South Africa from the World Cup because of its racist apartheid system, readmitting them only in 1991 after the release of Nelson Mandela. In 2001 FIFA passed the Buenos Aires Resolution against racism, and followed it up with an ambitious “Say No to Racism” campaign, in response to the problem of racist taunts hurled at players around the world.

And just last year the FIFA president responded to international pressure and apologized for a remark offensive to LGBT people, saying, "it was not my intention and never will be my intention to go into any discrimination ... this is exactly what we are against." In the light of FIFA’s choice of countries practicing official and unofficial homophobia as future hosts of the World Cup, it is important for this governing body to show that it is committed to real change: here is a perfect opportunity, with a clear case of lesbophobic discrimination.

While it is rare to see such an obvious case of pride in homophobic discrimination, such discrimination, and beyond discrimination, rape, assault, and murder, remain the fate of lesbian, gay, bi, and trans people throughout the world, and in particular in Africa. As is the case in Nigeria, much of this homophobic hatred is justified and encouraged by Evangelical “Christian” movements.

Sport, which should be a safe place free of religious-based discrimination, too often offers no haven for LGBT athletes. Consider one of the most high-profile recent cases, that of Eudy Simelane, a beloved South African football player who was raped, beaten, stabbed and left to die near her own home last year.

That’s why in Nigeria, where lesbians are sometimes ostracized and physically beaten, the Nigerian national football coach is playing a dangerous game with her homophobic witch hunt. But there’s something you can do about it. Please sign our petition, and make sure those around you know about it too!


[Sign HERE]

FIFA statement on Nigeria. Yawn.

A statement from FIFA, to which we say: And...????

FIFA has confimed that Tatjana Haenni, FIFA's Head of Women’s Competitions, met with Nigeria coach Eucharia Uche on Wednesday 29 June 2011 in Frankfurt to inform her and discuss media reports regarding alleged discriminating statements on homosexuality.

Following this meeting, the allegations about these discriminating statements were firmly denied by the Nigerian coach during a press conference on the same day.

FIFA would like to reiterate its position regarding any discriminating statements or action, and remind that FIFA, through its various committees, is actively committed to fighting against all kinds of discrimination within football and within society as a whole.

In addition to hosting events such as the FIFA Conference on Racism in Football and holding an Anti-Discrimination Day every year, FIFA has stressed on a number of occasions its commitment to fight any kind of discrimination in football.

In 2010, the FIFA Anti-Discrimination Day was held on 2 and 3 July, coinciding with the four 2010 FIFA World Cup quarter-final matches, so as to make a clear statement to the billions around the world about FIFA's united stand against racism and all forms of discrimination. For more information please click on the link to the right.

The FIFA Women's World Cup 2011 Anti-Discrimination Day will take place on 13 July 2011, when the semi-final matches are played.

In the long term, FIFA will continue the fight against all forms of discrimination through every possible means at its disposal.

Let us not forget that a strong, active and vocal grassroots support of these principles is essential to this process and we need every fan of the beautiful game to do their part - and in this respect, the world's media plays a key role too.

Auf Deutsch / IGLFA gegen die homofoben Äusserungen der nigerianischen Nationaltrainerin

Von Deutsche Welle:


Im Interview mit DW-WORLD.DE fordert Klaus Heusslein, Co-Präsident der International Gay and Lesbian Football Association (IGLFA): Die FIFA muss entschieden gegen Diskriminierung von Homosexuellen im Fußball vorgehen.

Toleranz hat der Weltfußballverband FIFA sich offiziell auf die Fahnen geschrieben. Die Trainerin der nigerianischen Nationalmannschaft "Super Falcons", Ngozi Uchi, sorgt derzeit aber für Negativschlagzeilen abseits vom Rasen der Frauenfußball-WM. In einem Interview mit der "New York Times" wetterte sie gegen Homosexualität und gab zu, lesbische Spielerinnen aus der Mannschaft geworfen zu haben. Ein Skandal, der so gar nicht ins Bild der FIFA passt, der aber die Realität homosexueller Fußballer in Afrika widerspiegelt. Die International Gay and Lesbian Foundation (IGLFA) setzt sich weltweit seit fast 20 Jahren für mehr Akzeptanz von Schwulen und Lesben im Fußball ein. Co-Präsident Klaus Heusslein hat mit seinem Verein über 34.000 Unterschriften gesammelt und FIFA-Präsident Sepp Blatter aufgefordert, gegen die Diskriminierung im nigerianischen Frauenfußball klar Position zu beziehen.

DW-WORLD.DE: Die Trainerin der nigerianischen Frauennationalmannschaft hat gegenüber der Presse über Homosexualität von "schmutzigen Praktiken" und "als geistig und moralisch verwerflich" gesprochen. Schockieren Sie diese Aussagen?

Klaus Heusslein: Ja. Es ist erschreckend, dass jemand, der sich auf so einem hohen internationalen Niveau befindet, sich auf so ein niedriges Niveau herablässt. Denn die Nigerianer wussten wohl, dass sie, wenn sie in Deutschland antreten, auch gegen das deutsche Team spielen würden. Und innerhalb des deutschen Teams sind ja Spielerinnen, die sich offiziell zu ihrer Homosexualität bekennen. Wenn ich jemandem vorwerfe, dass er "dreckige Praktiken" praktiziert, dann ist das ganz klar eine Beleidigung, die ich vielleicht auch bewusst als Provokation ins Feld führe.

Diese Aussagen sind aber kein Aussetzer und kein Einzelfall – es sind ja in der Vergangenheit bereits lesbische Spielerinnen aus dem Team geworfen worden. Wie ist die Lage für Lesben im Frauenfußball in Nigeria?

Es ist nicht nur so, dass Spielerinnen dort aus dem Team ausgeschlossen wurden, was schon schlimm genug ist. Dort sind auch ganz andere Maßnahmen ergriffen worden: irgendwelche korrektiven "Erziehungsmaßnahmen" mit diversen sehr fragwürdigen Praktiken, wie Voodoo-Zauber und Versuche von Hirnwäsche. Das ist jenseits von allem, was wir in Mitteleuropa unter den Menschenrechten verstehen. Eine große Rolle spielen die unterschiedlichen kulturellen und gesetzlichen Grundlagen. In Nigeria ist Homosexualität strafbar, deshalb ist es für die Nationaltrainerin Nigerias vollkommen unverständlich, dass darum hier in Westeuropa so ein Aufhebens gemacht wird.

In Ihrer Vereinigung sind auch Mitglieder aus afrikanischen Ländern. Mit welchen Problemen haben die in ihrer Heimat zu kämpfen?

Gerade bei den Gay Games in Köln im vergangenen Jahr haben wir ein Team gehabt, in dem Spielerinnen aus Südafrika waren. Die haben uns gebeten, auf die Einladungsschreiben, die sie zur Beantragung ihrer Visa brauchten, nicht offiziell als Absender "Gay Games Köln" zu schreiben, sondern etwas Neutraleres – um einen Spießroutenlauf in ihrem Heimatland zu vermeiden. Dabei ist Südafrika noch eines der liberaleren afrikanischen Länder. Wir hören von anderen Spielerinnen aus Ländern wie Nigeria oder Uganda, dass sie ihre Karriere beenden können, wenn sie sich zu ihrer Homosexualität bekennen.

Was erwarten Sie von der FIFA?

Sie hat zum Glück reagiert und das Verhalten der nigerianischen Nationaltrainerin kritisiert. Dass die FIFA aber stillschweigend mit ansieht, wie in weiten Teilen der Erde Menschenrechte mit Füßen getreten werden, ist eine altbekannte Geschichte. Man muss sich nur vor Augen führen, dass die nächsten Weltmeisterschaften der Männer nach Russland und Katar vergeben wurden. In diesen Ländern stehen Homosexuelle genauso schlecht da wie in Nigeria. Anders als in Katar ist Homosexualität in Russland zwar nicht strafbar, aber es ist allgemein bekannt, dass dort gegen Homosexuelle vorgegangen wird. Wenn FIFA-Präsident Sepp Blatter erklärt, homosexuelle Fans, die zu den Spielen anreisen wollen, bräuchten ja nur während des Aufenthalts auf sexuelle Handlungen zu verzichten, dann zeigt das, wie wenig Herr Blatter überhaupt verstanden hat.

Welche Maßnahmen könnte die FIFA denn ergreifen?

Die FIFA könnte ähnliche Maßnahmen ergreifen wie die UEFA (Anm. der Redaktion: Europäische Fußball-Union) in Europa. Da gibt es Statute, die von den Mitgliedsorganisationen unterschrieben werden müssen. Dazu gehört auch ein Grundsatz gegen Diskriminierung. Das wäre ein erster Schritt. Die FIFA hat ja auch die Olympische Charta unterschrieben, die sie aber entweder bewusst oder unbewusst missachtet. Sie sollte einfach viel mehr Wert darauf legen, dass ihre eigenen Regeln in den Mitgliedsverbänden auch eingehalten werden. Das Problem ist, dass für die FIFA offensichtlich Kommerz vor Menschenrechten geht. Das ist unhaltbar.

Könnten denn ein starkes Zeichen von der FIFA beziehungsweise internationale Reaktionen an der Lage in Afrika etwas ändern?

Auf lange Sicht sicherlich. Eben nicht von heute auf morgen, dazu ist die Gesellschaftsstruktur in Afrika zu unterschiedlich. Man hat eben diese Vorurteile. Da spielen auch die katholische Kirche und der Islam in vielen Ländern eine große Rolle, wo Religion vor Sport und vor Menschenrechte gesetzt wird. Aber es ist auch nicht das Ziel, dass der Sport gegen Religion und Gesetzgebung vorgeht, sondern der Sport sollte Bindeglied zwischen den Menschen sein und für Verständigung und Akzeptanz sorgen. Dafür setzen wir uns auch als Organisation ein.

Was die Akzeptanz von Homosexualität angeht, ist man im Frauenfußball schon einen Schritt weiter als im Männerfußball. Da gibt es so gut wie keine offen schwulen Fußballprofis. Ist das immer noch ein Tabu?

Es ist auch in Europa leider immer noch ein Tabu. Abgesehen von einem schwedischen Erstligaspieler, der sich vor zwei Monaten geoutet hat, hatte kaum jemand bisher die Courage, sich zu outen. Dabei haben sich mehrere deutsche Spieler in der Vergangenheit positiv zu dem Thema geäußert. Mario Gomez vom FC Bayern München hat beispielsweise gesagt, er hätte kein Problem damit, mit schwulen Spielern in einer Mannschaft zu spielen und er könne sich nicht vorstellen, dass ein Spieler Repressalien zu befürchten hätte. Solche Äußerungen wären vor zehn Jahren noch nicht denkbar gewesen, weil die Akzeptanz unter den Spielern noch nicht da gewesen wäre. Wenn man als Spieler damit rechnen muss, dass man schon von den Mitspielern aufgrund der sexuellen Orientierung nicht akzeptiert wird, dann hat man natürlich ein Problem damit, sich öffentlich zu outen. Wenn aber der Rückhalt in der Mannschaft da ist, fühlt man sich vielleicht schon etwas komfortabler bei der ganzen Geschichte. Diese Akzeptanz muss man in kleinen Schritten vermitteln.

Was tun Sie als Organisation, um die Lage von Schwulen und Lesben im Fußball zu verbessern?

Zum einen organisieren wir Freundschaftsspiele zwischen schwulen und mehrheitlich nicht-schwulen Teams. Damit machen wir den Leuten klar: Ihr spielt Fußball auf dem Platz und der Bessere wird gewinnen – und da waren bei weitem nicht immer die heterosexuellen Mannschaften die Gewinner. Zum anderen ermutigen wir unsere Vereine, auch heterosexuelle Spieler zu integrieren. Denn es wird sich nur etwas ändern, wenn die Leute sich verstehen und miteinander kommunizieren.

Das Gespräch führte Gönna Ketels.
Redaktion: Katrin Ogunsade

Quelle DW-World.

Is religious interference in sport only bad when it's Christian?

From the CBC:

Soccer referee Sarah Benkirane has been told she can no longer work for Quebec's Lac St. Louis Regional Soccer Association because she wears a hijab. The 15-year-old has been refereeing games on Montreal's West Island and Vaudreuil, which is located just off the island, for the past two years but was informed by association officials that she had been cut as a referee because of rules prohibiting religious garments on the pitch.

"I always felt like I was equal growing up in Canada, so I don't understand why they're going to take this right away from me," said Benkirane, who has worn a hijab since she was 12. The teen said a complaint was made to the association, which led to the loss of her summer job.

The Lac St. Louis Regional Soccer Association told CBC it follows the rules laid out by the Quebec Soccer Federation and referred all questions to that group. In a statement released Monday, the Quebec Soccer Federation said it upholds Rule 4 set out by FIFA, the international soccer governing body, which prohibits religious statements in team uniforms.

"The situation is clear," the statement reads. "Wearing a hijab is not allowed on Quebec's soccer fields just as necklaces, earrings, rings are prohibited, and we will follow the rule until FIFA says otherwise."

Read in full HERE.

Oddly enough, some groups that are very (justifiably) irate when the coach of the Nigerian women's football team excluded players suspected of being lesbians on (Christian) religious grounds find it normal that religion be present in women's sport when the religion is Islam. And yet the rules are clear for all; religion has no place on the football pitch. The rules of football are the Law of the Game, not the Koran and not the Christian Bible, either. So we are surprised by this effort to organize protest matches:

Red Card FIFA! Massive Solidarity Soccer Game July 7 2 -3 pm

WHO: Muslim sisters be ready to play soccer in your jerseys and sports attire. Please come in either a white hijab or coloured hijab so we can split into teams. Allies and sisters who choose to not wear hijab, please come in your soccer jerseys, and bring your cheers and chants to support us.

WHY: Girls and women who wear hijab are being sidelined from the soccer field. Globally FIFA has banned the Iranian women’s team from playing for wearing headscarves, and Jordan’s team has also been banned for the same reason. Locally, in the Montreal area, a young woman was recently prevented from refereeing a soccer game while wearing hijab. It is an offense that FIFA and Quebec’s Lac St. Louis Regional Soccer Association are banning women and girls who wear hijab from participating in soccer. We are advocating for the rights of all women to be active, including having the opportunity to participate in organized sports. For many girls and women, playing sports is a way of staying healthy, building self-esteem, and being part of a strong community. No one should be denied these opportunities because of their religious beliefs and practices.

Other ways you can make your voice heard:

1. Write to FIFA and Quebec’s Lac St. Louis Regional Soccer Association to express your support for the right of all women and girls to play soccer, including women who wear hijab. Recently a young woman in Quebec, Sarah Benkirane, was fired from her referee job for wearing a hijab; Jordan and Iran’s female soccer teams cannot play in the FIFA world cup due to this ban. Once you have written, spread the word to friends and family through word of mouth, phone, text and social media.

2. Tweet FIFA at @FIFAcom about the importance of allowing all women and girls to play sports. Use the hash tag #right2wear.

3. Check out our tumblr page at right2wear.tumblr.com, and send us your own stories, pictures and videos about the importance of sports in your life as a Muslim woman, or .

4. Most importantly: Organize a soccer match in your community! Invite Muslim women and girls to get off the sidelines and show that we got game. Allies are welcomed to lead cheers, chants and support us in red carding FIFA’s anti-hijab ruling. Send the information and pictures to us, so we can keep track of what you’ve all been up to.

Right 2 Wear movement wants to challenge people’s obsession with Muslim women and girl’s wardrobes. We are tired of everyone - governments, our families, religious scholars, the justice system, our peers - being obsessed with what we wear. Muslim women and girls have the right to choose how we outwardly express our faith and religion. We have the right to wear what we please!

Sorry, but no, you do not "have the rightr to wear what [you] please". You are playing a sport, the sport has rules as to what players wear, and your invocation of your religion has no place in sport. You're free to play wherever and however you want in whatever gear you want, for example in these protest matches, but you can't be part of the international sports movement if you reject its rules. That's not fair play.

And if there is an "obsession" with what you wear, it seems to be yours. All you have to do is follow the rules. It's not that hard. And perhaps you could devote some of your energy to working toward the freedom of Maryam Majd, arrested by the Islamist regime in Iran for, among other things, supporting the right of women to play football... and even to watch it (because those protest matches of yours could not be shown in many Islamist countries, due to the presence of women without hijabs).

If you support the right of women to participate in sport free from religious pressure, write to FIFA on this page: fifa.com/contact/form.html and while you're at it, ask FIFA to take action to free Maryam Majd.

FIFA: "Irrelevant and outrageous at the same time"

A follow-up essay from Keph Senett on the Nigeria scandal, which is now the FIFA scandal. Does FIFA and Sepp Blatter (I have so far refrained from writing the subject line: "Blatter pisses on the gays") really need more scandals?

FIFA: Not Good Enough

It’s not easy to be irrelevant and outrageous at the same time, but FIFA, under the ham-handed leadership of Sepp Blatter, seems to have achieved exactly that.

The homophobic remarks and discriminatory actions of Nigerian national team coach Eucharia Uche and the Nigerian Football Federation have finally been addressed. That’s right: FIFA’s head of women’s competitions Tatjana Haenni told the Associated Press today that FIFA will be “talking to” Uche, and pointing out to her that “it would be best to express oneself neutrally.” In other words, keep it to yourself.

“FIFA is against all forms of discrimination,” Haenni said. There, don’t you feel better?

This is the official response by the international governing body of football. Uche has come under fire for homophobic comments including that homosexuality is “dirty”, and that the lesbians on her team were “a really big problem”. In an attempt to cleanse the team she brought in priests, and ultimately removed several players. Former technical assistant for the Nigerian Football Federation James Peters said the dismissals were “not because they were not good players, but because they were lesbians.”

This is taking place during the Women’s World Cup tournament. Millions of eyes are trained on the players, the matches, the officials and the executives, yet even under this close scrutiny, Blatter and FIFA clearly feel that the matter is so insignificant that it doesn’t warrant more than a conversation. This tells us everything we need to know about the Association’s anti-discrimination policy.

I, for one, am saying this is nowhere near good enough. If you feel the same way, sign the AllOut petition demanding a real response from FIFA.

Play the Game, Day 4: Is the only difference between FIFA and the mafia the lack of corpses?

Find the Play the Game 2011 website with more information, photos, video, program, etc. HERE.

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On Thursday, the closing day of the conference, I started with a session on mega-events, featuring French NGO “Sport et citoyenneté”, with Project Manager Marc-Olivier Neu speaking on “the organisation of mega sports events: a double-edged sword”, while Annie Sugier returned to the subject of the visibility of women's participation in such events.

Nikki Dryden (photo Play the Game)

Nikki Dryden, a former Olympic diver who now works as a human rights lawyer, whose talk was entitled “Behind and Beyond the Podium: Change Must Come to Global Sporting”, starting with her own increasing awareness of the social responsibility of athletes durfing her own career, and the litany of problems mega-events generate for athletes, but more importantly for the communities that host these events, in particular the poor, the marginal, the excluded. After previous talks in which speakers noted the temptation of holders of the rights to mega-events to choose as hosts authoritation regimes where there is no rule of law to prevent event organizers from riding roughshod over local communities, Ms Dryden pointed out that democracies, even one as exemplary as Canada, bend over backwards to “adapt” their legislation to the exorbitant demands of rights holders.

Lastly, Daniela Schaaf of the German Sport University spoke on the topic “Mega event – mega impact? How sports tournaments affect national advertising” with an analysis of the perhaps surprisingly large effect of major events on advertising, with an impact far beyond the official corporate sponsors of the event.

Jens Weinrich and Andrew Jennings
(photo Play the Game)

At the same time as the session I attended was taking place another session on corruption in FIFA. This theme was continued in a session on change in sport. Andrew Jennings, the journalist responsible for the BBC reports exposing corruption in FIFA.

Jennings and De Gregorio
(photo Play the Game)

He called on Walter De Gregorio, the newly named director of communications for FIFA, and a last-minute registrant to the conference, to respond to his accusations that FIFA met the definition of organized crime. The response of De Gregorio was somewhat surprising. He said that comparing FIFA to the mafia was outrageous, because unlike the mafia, FIFA had never killed anybody. (!) (More on this HERE)

Harold Mayne-Nicholls and Ingrid Beutler
(photo Play the Game)

Also during this session, Ingrid Beutler, the manager of a new unit in SportAccord responsible for sport integrity and social responsibility, spoke of the rapid progress made in the area of matchfixing, an area where there is a consensus on action, and a domain easier to tackle than corruption and poor governance in the international federations that make up SportAccord.

A more positive viewpoint on the positive impact of sport came from Harold Mayne-Nicholls, the former president of the Chilean football federation.

The next session for me was on disability, with a series of talks showing the impact of media portrayals on perception of disability in sport, and analyses of how various media treat the topic.

FIFA was back on the agenda in the afternoon, with a long intervention by Jérôme Champagne, an ally of Sepp Blatter, and FIFA's officer for international relations before being pushed out by Blatter who feared Champagne as a rival. I for one had difficulty listening to the recommendations of an accomplice to the Blatter regime who insisted on the great progress made during his time in the organization.

Also during this session were talks from Jean-Loup Chappelet, who spoke on the “governance of sport governance: The limits to autonomy”, analyzing the organization of bodies such as the IOC and FIFA, and from Anne Schwoebel of Transparency International Switzerland, who explained the lack of transparency of international sports organisations in Switzerland, the understanding host of so many such organizations.

The main outcome of the conference will be a declaration, the Cologne Consensus, which we will present as soon as the final draft is published.

The FGG thanks Play the Game for an outstanding conference and an opportunity to share the Gay Games movement with so many players in the world of international sport.

FIFA approves violation of its own rules to support religious oppression of women athletes

Ligue du droit international des femmes

6 Place Saint Germain des Prés
75006 Paris
www.ldif.asso.fr

Femix’Sports
48 avenue du Général Leclerc
92240, L’Hay-les-Roses

Coordination française pour le Lobby européen des femmes
6 rue de la Rochefoucauld
75009, Paris




Mister Joseph S. Blatter, President
Fédération Internationale de Football Association
FIFA strasse 20
PO BOX 8044
Zurich, Switzerland


Paris, December 21, 2011



Subject: Wearing the hijab on the pitch
Reference: Executive Committee meeting in Tokyo (16-17/12/2011)


Mister President:

We are disappointed and deeply concerned to hear that FIFA - in view of the London 2012 Olympics – has endorsed a proposal to lift the ban on women players wearing a hijab on the pitch (1).

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.

FIFA rules bear no ambiguity: “The basic compulsory equipment must not contain any political, religious or personal statements” (law 4). Neither does 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 motives for FIFA reversal are not acceptable. It is now alleged that hijab may be accepted as a “cultural rather than a religious symbol” and therefore does not any longer contradict the rule.


FIFA is therefore accepting the recommendation of the workshop that took place in Amman last October, under prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein’s authority (the brother of the king of Jordan) and FIFA Vice-President, in order to satisfy the most conservative Islamic states.

To pretend that hijab is a cultural and not a religious symbol is not only preposterous, but untrue as the picture below shows very well.

You neither can put aside the fact that the conflict that has opposed FIFA to the Iranian regime is linked to Tehran’s will to impose its own religious law (2) to women’s sport.

Ms Farida Shojaee,vice-president of the women’s department of the Iranian Football Federation, who now pretends that hijab is a cultural sign, claimed not long ago that :“FIFA officials have mistaken the religious hijab for national dress, claiming that if they were allowed to participate with Islamic hijab, other participants might also demand to appear in their respective traditional costumes » ( April 5, 2010, Duncan Mackay, Inside the Games).

You cannot have missed that the “Accept and Respect Declaration” (3) focuses on the ‘Islamic dress code’ and has been issued by groups advocating a change in sports regulations in order to be “inclusive for Muslim women” (« we urge international sport federations to show their commitment to inclusion by ensuring that their dress code for competition embrace Islamic requirements »).

We cannot but understand that you have chosen to ignore the strategy of Iran to contribute to women’s issues by “the promotion of the culture of modesty and hijab on a worldwide scale” (4)?

You will admit that this statement gives an entirely different meaning to the word “culture” than the meaning you feign to believe as it clearly aims to impose a political religious outfit for women, that covers entirely their body.

There is nothing new as already Ms Faezeh Hashemi, dressed in a black chador, said in her opening speech of the First Islamic Solidarity Games in Tehran (1993): “I hope these Games will serve as pattern for the free women of the world”.

Sport must stay clear of political and religious interfering. Its aim also is to eliminate all forms of discrimination.

FIFA ruling is about to abandon this noble aim and FIFA will be accountable for that.

As a last word, we are sad at the betrayal of your recent firm declaration: “The first specificity of sport concerns its pyramidal structure, with the IOC and International Federations at the top and its universality, based on global regulations applied to everyone, at the national and continental level. This is what makes sport such a powerful force for bringing together people of different nationalities” (Sport and Citizenship, December January 2010).

Sincerely yours,

Annie Sugier
LDIF president

Danièle Salva
Femix’Sports president

Olga Trostiansky
CLEF president



(1) The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer, December 19, 2011, James M. Dorsey
(2) Iran is under Islamic law – a religious and not a cultural one - which was not the case before 1979 (see article IV of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic : “all civil, penal, financial, economic, administrative, cultural, military, political, and other laws and regulations must be based on Islamic criteria” ; article 638 of the Penal Code “anyone who explicitly violates any religious taboo in public beside being punished for the act should also be imprisoned from ten days to two months, or should be flogged (74 lashes); note : “women who appear in public without a proper hijab should be imprisoned from ten days to two months or pay a fine of 50,000 to 500,000 Ryal”).
(3) Declaration produced and approved at the Oman seminar (February 11th-16th, 2008), organised by the Sultan Qaboos University and IAPESWG (International Association of Physical Education and Sports for Women and Girls).
(4) Invitation to the Second International Conference on Women « Contributions of the Islamic World to Women’s Issues and Analysis of the Consequences of Feminism » May 2009. Invitation sent to Women’s Right NGO all around the world (letter dated April 15, 2009, with an introduction from the Islamic Revolution Leader, Sayed Ali Khamenei).

FIFA criticizes Nigerian women's football team coach, but takes no action

So it's OK to discriminate, as long as you don't talk about it? This is not satisfactory. Keep signing the petition at http://www.allout.org/fifa

FIFA criticises Nigeria coach Uche for anti-homosexual remarks
(AFP)

BERLIN — Football's governing body FIFA on Wednesday criticised Nigeria coach Eucharia Uche for branding homosexuality as 'dirty' and admitting she forced lesbians out of her team.

"FIFA is against all forms of discrimination," Tatjana Haenni, FIFA's head of women's competitions, told German television channel ARD. Haenni said FIFA will be talking to Uche about her comments and reminding the coach of the governing bodies statutes [sic].

In a mission statement, FIFA says it wants to use the sport in 'overcoming social and cultural obstacles for women with the ultimate aim of improving women?s standing in society'.

"We are here at a FIFA event and will point out that it would be best to express oneself neutrally," said Haenni.

Uche sparked controversy in a New York Times interview ahead of the women's World Cup, which started last Sunday, in which she called homosexuality 'dirty' and insisted it was 'spiritually and morally very wrong'.

After Nigeria lost their opening Group A game 1-0 to France on Sunday, Uche said she has acted to remove any lesbians from the Super Eagles. "Yes, the lesbians in our team were really a big problem," she said having taken over as Nigeria's coach in 2009. But since I'm coach of the Super Falcons, that has been cleared up. There are no more lesbian players on my team. I can not tolerate this dirty life."

Defending champions and hosts Germany play Nigeria on Thursday in Frankfurt am Main and have declined to comment in Uche's remarks.

Germany reserve goalkeeper Ursula Holl is married to a woman and first-choice shot-stopper Nadine Angerer is openly bisexual.

En français / Sport international : la laïcité, sauf quand il s'agit de femmes

D'une part, on voit que les instances olympiques sont à cheval lorsqu'il s'agit du Ramadan. C'est normal : la pratique du culte n'a pas à s'insinuer dans la pratique sportive internationale. Mais étrangement, lorsqu'il s'agit d'opprimer les femmes, le sport ne trouve rien à redire (voir ci dessous).


Du site ajib.fr:

Cette année, les dates des Jeux Olympiques d’été de Londres coïncident avec celles du mois sacré de Ramadan. Près de 3000 athlètes seraient concernés par les effets du jeûne, soit quasiment 25% des sportifs. Chiffres qui n’ont pas l’air de gêner le CIO et les organisateurs Londoniens qui restent fermes sur la question depuis sept ans.
Le jeûne durant les épreuves

Il y a sept ans, lors de l’attribution des Jeux, de nombreux comités olympiques nationaux avaient exprimé leurs inquiétudes. 2 500 à 3 000 athlètes seraient concernés par le jeûne du mois de Ramadan. Ces derniers sont censés ni boire ni manger entre le lever et le coucher du soleil, ce qui pourrait avoir des conséquences sur leur santé physique les jours d’épreuves.

Cette année, le jeûne durera plus de 12h entre l’heure de El-Fajr et de El-Maghreb au moment des Jeux. Ce qui constitue une épreuve en soit pour tous les jeûneurs, qu’Allah agréé nos actions. Les athlètes prennent-ils un risque même s’ils s’y sont préparés ? Londres n’est pas la capital des températures arides, cependant un sportif ressent une soif importante après un très grand effort physique.

La laïcité coûte que coûte

Le CIO et le Comité Organisateur Londonien sont restés fermes sur la question. Lassana Palenfo a été employé par le CIO pour aplanir les angles avec les pays réticents face à cette conjecture. En effet, l’Égypte, le Maroc et la Turquie ne comprennent pas cette décision. L’Ivoirien Lassana Palenfo rétorque que « les Jeux doivent rester apolitiques et areligieux. Si l’on cède, les bouddhistes, les juifs demanderont des aménagements ». « La religion doit rester une affaire personnelle », a-t-il conclu.

La laïcité est sportive. Elle s’invite même aux Jeux Olympiques. Les pratiques religieuses de chacun ne doivent bien entendu pas entrer dans le stade, mais le jeûne de près de 25% des athlètes aurait dû être pris en considération. Dans le cadre des Jeux Olympiques, ces musulmans débutent cette grande compétition avec une difficulté supplémentaire. Mais nous connaissons la récompense du jeûneur. Elle est bien plus grande qu’une médaille d’or ou d’argent.

Les anthropologues vont être attentifs et les médias vont s’en donner à cœur joie. Certains athlètes seront peut être forcés de faire un choix, selon leur état de fatigue physique ou mentale. Que Dieu les préserve.

Sur le hidjab, sports.fr :

Outre la technologie sur la ligne de but et les arbitres assistants supplémentaires, la Fifa a confirmé jeudi une décision qui ne manquera pas de faire débat: la levée de l'interdiction faite aux footballeuses de porter le foulard islamique, le hijab. Le fils du roi Hussein de Jordanie, le prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, vice-président de la Fifa et membre du comité exécutif, a donc obtenu gain de cause. Au grand dam des féministes.

L'International Football Association Board (Ifab) a dit oui. Oui à la levée de l'interdiction du port du voile par les footballeuses, proposée en mars dernier, à l'occasion d'une Assemblée Générale de cet organisme lié à la Fifa et ayant autorité en matière de règles du football. Réunis jeudi à Zurich, les quatre membres de la Fifa et les quatre représentants des quatre fédérations du football au Royaume-Uni, qui le composent, ont voté à l'unanimité -de façon temporaire pour une période d'essai- cette décision après avoir étudié des rapports du responsable médical de la Fifa.

Et l'instance internationale du ballon rond de faire volte-face sur un sujet délicat. Le 3 juin 2011, l'équipe féminine d'Iran était ainsi éliminée de la course aux Jeux Olympiques après que ses joueuses ont refusé d'ôter leur voile lors d'une rencontre face à la Jordanie, le règlement de la Fifa prévoyant qu'au moins le cou et les oreilles soient découverts. Une éviction qui avait lancé le coup d'envoi de la campagne menée par le prince Ali Bin Al Hussein de Jordanie, vice-président de la Fifa et membre du comité exécutif, visant à faire changer les lois du jeu.

Une entreprise payante puisque le 3 mars dernier, l'Ifab décide, à la surprise générale, de lever l'interdiction du port du hijab, arguant qu'il s'agit d'un "signe culturel et non religieux". Un avis que ne partage pas Samir Amghar, chercheur à l'Ecole des hautes études en sciences sociales cité par Le Monde: "Les quatre écoles de jurisprudence dans la théologie musulmane, qui édictent les normes en matière de loi islamique, sont unanimes à affirmer que le port du voile relève d'une obligation religieuse."

Les féministes remontées

La Fifa, elle, a estimé via son secrétaire général, Jérôme Valcke, que les "questions de sécurité et médicales" ne se posaient plus et que l'interdiction était donc levée. De quoi s'attirer les foudres des féministes. Pour Anne Sugier, présidente de la Ligue du droit international des femmes interrogée par Le Monde, "il est tout aussi paradoxal de voir que les promoteurs "de la culture de la modestie et du hijab pour les femmes à travers le monde", veulent à tout prix faire croire que le hijab et le sport sont faits l'un pour l'autre. C'est oublier que le sport c'est d'abord la fête du corps, et que le hijab est une stigmatisation du corps féminin.

L'association "Ni Putes Ni Soumises", elle, s'inquiétait déjà d'une "régression totale" en mars dernier. "Le plus grave, c'est que c'est une décision qui vient de haut, estimait sa présidente, Asma Guéfini, dans les colonnes du Parisien. Et puis, ça commence par le football et ça se termine par tous les sports. La Fifa ne connaît pas le combat des femmes comme nous. Je pense qu'elle est influencée par un lobbying intense des pays riches d'Orient, notamment le Qatar. Il y a là un revirement de sa part car dans son règlement, il est dit que « les joueurs et les dirigeants ne doivent pas arborer sur leur tenue de message ou de slogan d'ordre politique, religieux, commercial ou personnel ».

La Fifa a donc tout simplement décidé de modifier son règlement pour valider le port d'un accessoire déjà visible sur les terrains de rugby ou dans les combats de taekwondo. Une nouvelle réunion de l'Ifab est prévue en octobre. Non pas pour évoquer la condition de la femme, mais pour discuter des détails, "le seul point restant maintenant est la couleur et le dessin du foulard", a précisé Jérôme Valcke.

Federation of Gay Games, International Gay and Lesbian Football Association, and AllOut.org write to FIFA

On 29 June, the Federation of Gay Games, the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association, and AllOut.org wrote the following letter to Sepp Blatter, President of FIFA:

Dear Mr. Blatter,

We are writing to express our deep concern about FIFA’s public silence on the recent reports of homophobia and blatant discrimination in the Nigerian national women’s football team.

You are no doubt aware of the accusations, recently reported in the New York Times, of the exclusion of players suspected of being lesbian from this team, and of the practice of the team’s coach of using clerics to attempt to “cure” lesbians. On a continent where “cures” for lesbians include “corrective rape,” this blatant discrimination and purging of otherwise qualified players, is a totally unacceptable interference of religion in sport.

With the support of the signatories of this letter, AllOut.org, the world's largest global LGBT grassroots campaign organization, has collected over 34,000 signatures from around the world to its petition denouncing this behaviour, and calling on FIFA to take action. We are concerned that your continued silence and inaction on this pressing issue could be interpreted as approval and acceptance of these actions, whereas in the past you yourself have said explicitly that FIFA stands firmly against this kind of discrimination.

FIFA and its affiliated organisations are to be commended for the kinds of strong measures taken against racism in football. Unfortunately we have not yet seen the same commitment to take action against homophobia. It is long overdue for FIFA to apply its own rules regarding discrimination, and help insulate the sport from ideological and religious interference that infringes on players rights.

These values are of course not just those of FIFA, but are at the core of the modern international sports movement. The Olympic Charter, Principle 4, says it best:

“The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practising sport, without discrimination of any kind.”

Sport has rules, and those rules not found in the Bible or the Koran: they are made by sportspeople for sportspeople, for the good of the sport, and with the goal of fair play and inclusion of all under common rules enforced free from bias.

The undersigned urge you to take action quickly, before the end of the 2011 Women’s World Cup, to confirm that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is totally unacceptable, and has no place in “the beautiful game.”

Respectfully,

Kurt Dahl and Emy Ritt, co-presidents of the Federation of Gay Games
Klaus Heusslein, co-president of the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association
André Banks, co-founder of AllOut.org

Iranian women's football team banned from London 2012 qualifying match due to religiously imposed gear

From Inside the Games:

June 5 - Iran's women's football team are involved in a new row over their dress after they were banned from playing their second qualifying round of the London 2012 Olympics against Jordan in Amman because, it was claimed, they were wearing "inappropriate" clothing.

The FIFA official, from Bahrain, told them that they could not play in headwear despite them having worn the same kit in the previous round.

The team refused to remove the hijab and a 3-0 victory was awarded to their opponents after the Iranian women took to the pitch, sang the national anthem, and then kissed their country's flag before walking off the pitch.

Last year Iran's girls team faced being replaced in the Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore when FIFA ruled that they could not play in headwear during the tournament because it broke the laws of the game.

The decision that caused worldwide controversy and FIFA were accused of racism as well as religious discrimination. Islamic guidelines require women to cover their hair in public but requires the neck and ears to remain uncovered. [sic]

However, Ali Kaffashian, the President of Iran's Football Federation (IFF), held talks with football's world governing body and reached a compromise whereby a new set of clothing was designed that still covers the players heads in accordance with Islamic custom but does not break the laws of the game.

Iranian officials have vowed to contest the latest decision and have vowed to take their case direct to Sepp Blatter, the President of FIFA. "We have already held talks with the President of FIFA about the participation of Iranian women in matches with full Islamic hijab," said Kaffashian. "We have held required talks with FIFA officials although based on FIFA rules no soccer player has the right to appear in matches with Islamic veil. Unfortunately, however, I do not know why the official in charge of the match refused to let our team play. Therefore, we will file a complaint to FIFA against the official in charge of the games."

Flashmob - Give Homophobia the Red Card !

Anti-​homophobia activists were calling on FIFA to publicly condemn homophobia. A group led by international gay rights organization AllOut​.org and the FGG member Club FVV had organized a “flashmob” demonstration in Frankfurt to take place before the opening whistle of the semi-​final game of the Women’s World Cup, on July 13, the dayFIFA, the International Federation of Association Football — which is the international governing body of association football, futsal and beach football — has set aside as their official “Day Against Discrimination.”

Although homophobia in football is a long-​standing issue, remarks made earlier this year by Nigerian coach Eucharia Uche — that she’d kicked players off ther team “not because they were bad players, but because they were lesbians” — is at the heart of this protest.

FIFA’s response to the allegations against Uche had been very tepid. FIFA’s head of women’s competitions Tatjana Haenni said that FIFA had been “talking to” Uche, and pointing out to her that “it would be best to express oneself neutrally.” In addition, FIFA committed to a “Day Against Discrimination,” and directed the public to their “position on discriminating statements” in the meantime.

For AllOut​.org and the IGLFA, the response was not enough. Neither was it sufficient for the 45,000 people who signed a petition calling on FIFA to publicly condemn homophobia in sport, or for the European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF), the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association (IGLFA), or the Federation of Gay Games (FGG), all of whom endorsed the campaign.

Now, activists dressed as referees had gathered in front of the Frankfurt Football stadium on July 13 to urge FIFA to back up their discrimination policy, beginning with a full investigation into coach Uche.

“Anyone who has played or watched football knows that there are consequences for breaking the rules of the game,’ said Andre Banks, co-​founder of AllOut​.org in a press release. “It is time for FIFA to finally cry foul and give Coach Uche the red card, sending a strong message that discrimination against lesbian and gay players will not be tolerated on or off the field.”

The Flashmob has been covered by the mass media, among others we have spotted
- Bild : the best-selling tabloid in Europe and has the sixth-largest circulation worldwide. (www.bild.de)
- Sueddeutsche Zeitung : the largest German national subscription daily newspaper (http://www.sueddeutsche.de)
- the local LGBT media : GAB magazin (http://www.inqueery.de/)

UEFA takes action against homophobic Croatian Football Federation president, while supporting homophobic FIFA president

While we are pleased with UEFA's action against the homophobic president of the Croatian Football Federation, we remain dismayed at the impunity of Sepp Blatter (and FIFA), who made the choice of homophobic Qatar as host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and then mocked those who contested this most contestable of choices.

Not only have UEFA ignored the issue, they are supporting Blatter in his campaign to be re-elected as president of FIFA. Of course, the alternative to Blatter is Qatari football bigwig Mohamen bin Hammam, so it's basically a choice between two raving homophobes.

Still, one can only think that UEFA, despite its positive actions against racism and homophobia in football, still lacks the balls to take on someone with a bigger profile than poor mister Markovic in Croatia.

In this light, it's good to look back to the letter written to Blatter by IGLFA, ICONS, GFSN, and the FGG back when Qatar was chosen as the 2022 host:

Dear Mr Blatter


We are writing to express our collective dismay that Qatar, a country where homosexual acts are illegal, has been chosen to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022.

We strongly believe that football has a tremendous power in bringing people and communities together and that football is and should be for all, regardless of race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. In choosing Qatar, FIFA has all but excluded members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community from football’s premier competition.

In your mission statement you state that football is a “unifying force whose virtues can make an important contribution to society.” You promise to “use the power of football as a tool for social and human development” and claim “responsibility to reach out and touch the world, using football as a symbol of hope and integration”.

In awarding the 2022 event to Qatar you have broken the promises you have given in your own mission statement and now risk losing the confidence, respect and support not just of the LGBT community, but also for all those in the game who truly believe that football is for all.

As head of FIFA we note that you are also a member of the International Olympic Committee, and would like to draw your attention to the Olympic Charter which states that “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”. We do not consider awarding the tournament to Qatar compatible with the Olympic Movement and will be writing to the IOC for its views on.

We urge you to engage with us and outline to us how you intend to address the concerns of an LGBT football supporter who wishes to attend the 2022 FIFA World Cup and ensure that future events are openly accessible to everyone.

Next FIFA president: very bad or very, very bad?

From InsideWorldFootball.biz:

January 5 - The head of Asian football has fuelled speculation that he may stand against Sepp Blatter when the FIFA Presidency comes up for renewal next summer.

Mohamed Bin Hammam, who helped deliver a stunning victory for his native Qatar in the contest to host the 2022 World Cup, has previously stated that he would not take on Blatter who is running for an unprecedented fourth term at FIFA elections on June 1.

But Bin Hammam's latest comments suggest a possible change of heart after he criticised Blatter's decision to introduce an anti-corruption committee without first running the idea past FIFA Executive Committee members.

Despite their landslide 2022 victory, Qatar remains the subject of persistent rumours of foul play in the way the secured victory and Bin Hammam, who has always professed his country's transparency, is clearly angered at Blatter's latest move.

"Some of FIFA's acts I do not approve of or agree," said Bin Hammam.

Blatter is putting his anti-corruption unit idea to FIFA's full Congress at the same time as the FIFA Presidential election but bin Hammam does not think that's good enough.

Continue reading HERE.

Is FIFA really investigating homophobia?

We have more doubts than our friends at AllOut, cosigners of the letter to FIFA to which Jérôme Valcke has now (more than two months later) replied, with regard to what this really means for any investigation of the lesbophobic behavior of Nigerian women's football club Eucharia Uche.

We quote:

"Thus, in the event the FIFA Disciplinary Committee considers having enough evidence to be in a position to open proceedings, it will not fail to do so with the assistance of the FIFA administration."

The request for evidence is odd, as clearly FIFA was aware of the accusations, since they responded (insufficiently) in the form of a social call by Tatjana Haenni, FIFA's head of women's competition.

We are keen to see what action is taken, and will keep our readers informed as soon as we have news.

Read all our blog posts about FIFA HERE.

En français / Annie Sugier évoque la décision catastrophique de la FIFA sur le voile islamique

Dans le Monde, une tribune de notre amie Annie Sugier du comité Atlanta Plus :


A quelques semaines des Jeux olympiques (JO) de Londres, l'affaire est d'importance. Il s'agit pour l'IFAB (International Association Board), organisme ayant autorité en matière de règles du football, de confirmer la levée de l'interdiction du port du hijab par les footballeuses. La décision finale devant être prise le 5 juillet à Zurich, lors de la réunion extraordinaire de l'IFAB.

Le débat sur ce sujet épineux a connu divers rebondissements, dont l'exclusion en début d'année 2011 de l'équipe de football féminine d'Iran lors des épreuves de qualification pour les JO de Londres. Motif : les joueuses portaient un hijab couvrant tout leur corps alors que la FIFA avait exigé, à titre de compromis, qu'au moins le cou et les oreilles soient découverts.

Le 3 mars, nouveau retournement, l'IFAB décide de lever l'interdiction du port du hijab, au prétexte que le hijab est "un signe culturel et non religieux", façon astucieuse de contourner le règlement de la FIFA (loi 4) qui interdit que l'équipement des joueurs comporte des signes politiques, religieux ou personnels.

UN GROUPE DE TRAVAIL PROVIDENTIEL

Pour arriver à cette conclusion, le vice-président de la FIFA, le prince Ali de Jordanie, avait dû mobiliser un groupe de travail ad hoc, en octobre 2011 à Amman.

Il balayait ainsi la portée des déclarations de Farida Shojaee, responsable du département femme de la Fédération iranienne de football, selon laquelle "les officiels de la FIFA ont confondu le hijab religieux avec un costume national".

Il balayait tout autant les analyses des spécialistes des textes musulmans qui, à l'instar de Samir Amghar, chercheur à l'Ecole des hautes études en sciences sociales, affirme sans la moindre ambigüité : "Les quatre écoles de jurisprudence dans la théologie musulmane qui édictent les normes en matière de loi islamique sont unanimes à affirmer que le port du voile relève d'une obligation religieuse."

Il restait juste à savoir si le hijab sportif était sans danger.

NOUVEAUX REBONDISSEMENTS

A la surprise générale, la Commission des experts médicaux de la FIFA, chargée d'examiner les résultats des tests de sécurité réalisés sur différents échantillons de hijab, fait état, lors d'une réunion à Budapest en mai 2012, d'éléments nouveaux la conduisant à réclamer avec force que l'interdiction du port du hijab ne soit pas levée !

Selon le Dr Michel D'Hooghe, chef de cette Commission, des essais supplémentaires, sont nécessaires, "certains médecins, y compris de pays musulmans", considèrent que le port du hijab par les footballeuses "présenterait des risques de lésion au niveau du cou et de la carotide en cas de collision lorsque celle-ci se produit à grande vitesse". Le prince Ali, se dit "choqué" et affirme que ces points ont déjà été vérifiés. Indigné, il exige que le Dr D'Hooghe's fournisse des preuves, oubliant que lui-même n'avait produit aucun rapport à l'appui de ses dires.

Le comique de l'affaire c'est que la FIFA – qui a eu au moins le grand mérite de tenter de résister aux diktats de Téhéran – se trouve tiraillée entre les parties prenantes d'un débat sans fin.

Il est tout aussi paradoxal de voir que les promoteurs "de la culture de la modestie et du hijab pour les femmes à travers le monde", veulent à tout prix faire croire que le hijab et le sport sont faits l'un pour l'autre. C'est oublier que le sport c'est d'abord la fête du corps, et que le hijab est une stigmatisation du corps féminin.

Le plus logique ne serait-il pas de revenir à l'application de la règle unique qui impose la neutralité politique et religieuse dans le sport ?

Annie Sugier est l'auteure de Femmes voilées aux Jeux olympiques (2012, ed. Jourdan).

Disturbing choices for football World Cup hosts

From PinkNews:

Gay groups have said they are “deeply concerned” by FIFA’s decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.

Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and can be punished with lashes and jail, while the Russian capital of Moscow has banned gay Pride marches for years.

England got just two votes in yesterday’s contest to host the World Cup in 2018, despite submitting a strong bid.

There have been calls for a probe into possible corruption at the international football governing body and some media outlets pointed to two countries’ riches in oil and gold.

Russia’s win came on the same day it was denounced by leaked diplomatic cables for being a “corrupt autocracy”.

Gay rights campaigners also questioned the countries’ human rights records, saying that

Peter Tatchell, who was savagely beaten by neo-Nazi thugs on a Pride march in Moscow in 2007, said: “Both countries have very poor human rights records. Not just on gay rights, but also on the rights of women, the freedom to protest and freedom of the press.

“Sport should never be allowed to trump human rights. FIFA have put their corporate interests before the wellbeing of the people of Russia and Qatar.”

Gay football group The Justin Campaign added that it was “deeply concerned” and said: “Despite their apparent commitment to humanitarian values and the promotion of global solidarity through football, FIFA is sending out a message loud and clear that the rights of the global LGBT community do not even register on their agenda.

“It is a stark and sad reminder of just how much work we still need to do.”

Meanwhile, Matthew Sephton of Conservative-affiliated group LGBTory said FIFA should ask Qatar to decriminalise homosexuality by 2022.

He said: “Now that this decision has been taken, I would like to set the challenge to FIFA and the FA to be a force for good and also to get its own house in order. I hope that between now and 2022 Qatar will take steps to decriminalise homosexuality and that FIFA can help bring this about.

“The Rugby Football League has set the pace by recently launching their ‘tackle it’ campaign to challenge homophobia in their sport. Football should follow this important lead by their rugby counterparts and prove that they too believe there is no place for homophobia in any sport.”