Iranian women’s soccer team forfeits 2012 qualifier over head scarves

Originally posted by Illusionsaregrander
reply to post by Scoriada

 

No they have another option. Dont play soccer internationally. Im going to guess they dont have a womens swim team, as swimming in their religious garments would make them wholly un competitive.

They are going to have to lobby their way to the freedom to play scarfless. It sucks for them, but women in the west have had to fight over the centuries for their rights too.

Women in the West never got stoned for being "sluts".
The problem is within Islam. The moderate Muslims are too afraid to stand up to the radicals for fear of being beheaded. Can you blame them? They can't even change religion or they would be killed. Islam needs to be wiped off the face of the planet with extreme prejudice.

reply to post by confreak

A specially-designed head protector, a sweatband, and a guy with unusual hair (who incidentally hasn't played in about 20 years)...?

I don't see how any of these are relevant to the subject of the thread. Sorry.

Head scalves are dangerous, or they wouldn't be banned. Like neck warmers.

It doesn't just apply to the Iranian team. It applies to everyone. How is that "bigoted"?

Originally posted by Scoriada
Women in the West never got stoned for being "sluts".

You are so right. They got burned for being "witches" if they acted in ways the church said women should not act. The problem is not just in Islam. Its also in Christianity. Its just that the WHOLE time Christianity has been dominant in the West, women have been struggling against its oppressiveness.

Originally posted by Scoriada
The moderate Muslims are too afraid to stand up to the radicals for fear of being beheaded. Can you blame them? They can't even change religion or they would be killed.

"Islam" in many nations has been quite moderate, and the wests meddling, including their support of Israel, has added a great deal to the power of "extremists." We have funded them, (in Afghanistan) to fight the Soviet Union (at the time) and Saddam Hussein ran a more moderate ship religiously than the one Iraq is left with now, after we "saved" them.

Islam would likely moderate quite well if the west wasnt spending so much time trying to keep governments in place that allow western economic forces to strip off the regions wealth for the benefit of said western forces and the governments they put and keep in place.

Originally posted by Scoriada
Islam needs to be wiped off the face of the planet with extreme prejudice.

I personally think all the middle eastern religions are troublesome. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. If one should go they all should, since they are all poured from the same mold.

Or, they should just be forced to evolve. All of them.

Regardless of the corruption within FIFA, this is the right decision. Sport should be about having fun, and playing fair, regardless of race, culture or religion. Everyone has to abide by the same rules, and if they dont want to play by those rules then they should not be surprised if they find themselves unable to play. Whether it be behaviour, attire, whatever.

reply to post by FOXMULDER147

Head scalves are dangerous, or they wouldn't be banned.

Bull, argument from authority. So many things are dangerous yet not banned. What's with that? Why don't soccer players wear helmets to prevent them from dangers that can arise when a ball flies around them at crazy speeds? What about if they run into each other? That's also dangerous. Tackles are dangerous, lets ban tackles.

That's not to say I don't see a danger in wearing headscarves while playing soccer. I just think the point is heavily politicized on both sides.

Like neck warmers.

Yeah except that NO. You can't pretend to reason logically and then not take into account more than one side.

reply to post by Zamini


It was neck warmers that were actually banned. The Iranian women are unintended victims of the rule. I dont see how you can claim this is political. Are you really saying that they banned neck warmers throughout the entire sport JUST to punish the Iranian womens soccer team?

I seriously doubt it.

Im willing to bet the Iranian womens soccer team was the absolute furthest thing from their minds when they made the decision.

reply to post by Illusionsaregrander


So neck warmers were forbidden.


And headscarves are neck warmers.

Got it.

Come on...really?

The Iranian women are unintended victims of the rule.

I don't know about the unintended part. They sure wanted to play though.

reply to post by Zamini

You're clearly missing the point. All the normal risks of the game -- tackles, heading the ball, studded boots etc -- are general to everyone who plays. Head scalves are an additional risk, caused by a small minority.

I should point out that Muslim women in the English team or US team are also banned from wearing them.

reply to post by Zamini


Maybe the olympics should still be played in the nude. Do you think they would still be upset?

MOTF!

Oh man! I feel so sad for these Iranian women - they play football because they love FOOTBALL!

And just because these women happen to live in a country which is forcing them to wear strict religious dress-code, and because of the Fundamentalist's strict rules in both Iran and in FIFA - These poor Iranian women now miss their chance to play against another women of the world in an Olympic qualifying match!

The world is insane! LET THESE WOMEN PLAY BALL!

Damn Fundamentalists of Iran and FIFA

Reading some of the posts you would think this is the first time FIFA has banned teams on a 'cultural' difference.

FIFA has rules. They are (and have been) in circulation for a very long time.

Why did Iran think they could circumvent those rules? Who's fault is that?

Iran did this to make a statement, take it for what it is. They knew full well that this team would be disqualified.

If the Inidan national soccer team has to remove turbans (if they wear them off pitch) and put on shoes (disqualified in 1950 for not wearing proper boots), than the Iranians have to remove head scarves.

Originally posted by Zamini


So neck warmers were forbidden.

Yep. Sure were. This article is from March of this year.

www.guardian.co.uk...

Football's lawmaking body, the International Football Association Board, has decided to ban players from wearing neck-warming snoods with immediate effect. At their annual meeting in Newport, Ifab also agreed to continue testing goalline technology for one more year.

"There was not even a discussion because this [the snood] is not part of the uniform and it can be dangerous," the Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, said.

Originally posted by Zamini
And headscarves are neck warmers.

Got it.

Come on...really?

I can say "c'mon really?" to you too. Did you not see the pictures of the Iranians womens team? And notice that the "head scarves" also wrapped around the neck?

Originally posted by Zamini
They sure wanted to play though.

I'm sure there are likely some women who want to form a swim team in Iran too. And, if enough women and their male relatives pressure the government, someday, they will be able to. Its unfortunate. I feel bad for them too. But the only way those customs will change is if the people of that nation want them to badly enough. And if the world makes exceptions for them in all areas, why should they change?

Originally posted by Chevalerous
Oh man! I feel so sad for these Iranian women - they play football because they love FOOTBALL!
LET THESE WOMEN PLAY BALL!

Damn Fundamentalists of Iran and FIFA

I'd propose a compromise.....

They can play their beloved FOOTBALL if they don't wear the headscarf.


That way both sides are happy.

Oh wait...
Who is requiring them to wear those again?

what's with arabs and rules?

or islam and rules or all you people and rules.

rules count for something.

you can have lots of fun if you just follow the rules!!

reply to post by SLAYER69


OUCH!!! A slap in the face from Captain Obvious!

MOTF!

Welp, its official. Iran is full of a bunch of idiots (at least the people who couldnt just say "hmmm how about the women take off the head dress for the duration of play").

Seriously, you are going to take clothing, a material object, that seriously. Iranians think their God is so hung up on a head dress? HAHA

So silly, what are most Iranins 3 yerars old. "No he has to wear his favorite monster truck shirt or we wont play". HAHA. Such dolts...

If they cant play by the rule's, well,,,,,,,,,, they should get their ball and %$#@ OFF.
Rule's are rule's, like many others have stated.
And if it wasn't for rule's we would be living in the stone age still or in some muslim country

Originally posted by Zamini
So neck warmers were forbidden.

And headscarves are neck warmers.

Got it.

Come on...really?

Yeah... the neck-warmer or "Snood" was banned because of the choking hazard... and this is the reason why FIFA (no matter how corrupt and disgusting an organisation they are) are right to ban the head scarves too... they are dangerous.

This isn't some bigoted action like France banning the Burqa, this is the governing body of an international sport, the most popular on the planet... trying to prevent serious injury to people.
Neck warmers (Snoods) were banned and so are head scarves.... it is the right thing to do.

Football is a sport.... It doesn't have to make exceptions for religious attire and nor should it.

If people want to play it, then they should wear the legal and required "uniform/kit" that everyone else has to wear.


Not everything is bigotry and/or racism..... sometimes there are just rules in life and everyone, regardless of their ethnicity, religious persuasion and sexual orientation must adhere to and abide by these rules.

Playing in these headscarves should be no problem. I bet it gets mighty hot and sweaty in there. But if I were FIFA Id make an exception and let these proud women play their game.

Originally posted by Illusionsaregrander
reply to post by confreak

 

. Although that poster said "vision" the official reason is "choking hazard" or "neck injury." And its not just head scarves that have been banned, but neck warmers as well. And in fact, the neck warmers were the original reason for the ban, and head scarves were not the target at all, they are just collateral damage.

Don't mind me asking, why isn't shoes banned?

It just goes to show, bigots can always find justification for their bigotry.

You can't tell me head scarves are more dangerous than soccer shoes, right? But if I was a bigot and had something against those who wear soccer shoes, and if I banned them, my excuse for my bigotry would be that soccer shoes have a piercing hazard.

If I was a bigot and had something against men with long hair, and ban long hair, then I would justify my bigotry by slapping a 'neck injury' all over it. Yeah, if someone's hand accidentally (wink wink) gets stuck in your long hair and pulls it fast enough you have a chance of gaining a neck injury..

Bigots make lame excuses.

Heck let's ban Goal posts, because they are hazardous too, Goalies might run in to them, or worse strikers and break their necks.

You will have a hard time justifying bigotry to me.