Saudi judo athlete to withdraw if hijab banned
A female Saudi Arabian judo competitor, one of the first two female athletes sent to the Olympics by the kingdom, will withdraw if she is not allowed to wear her hijab or headscarf, during bouts, her father was quoted as saying.
Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani is due to compete in the +78kg judo category on Friday. A Saudi official said earlier this month its female athletes would have to obey Islamic dress codes.
But last week, International Judo Federation (IJF) president Marius Vizer said Shaherkani would have to fight without a headscarf to comply with “the principle and spirit of judo”.
Sunday’s edition of Saudi Arabia’s Al-Watan newspaper quoted the father, Ali Shaherkani, as saying over the telephone from Britain that his daughter “will not compete in the Judo Games on Aug 3 if the committee insists that she removes her hijab”.
He was quoted as telling Al-Watan he had not heard back from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on the matter.
The IJF, whose regulations for the Olympic Games state no headgear can be worn, was in regular discussions with Olympic and Saudi officials to find a solution, IJF spokesman Nicolas Messner said.
He said the hijab was banned for safety reasons, as judo fighters can try to strangle each other using their judogi or kit. While using a hijab to do this would be illegal it could happen by mistake during a move.
“It can be dangerous,” Messner said. “It could happen during a move, something wrong could happen.”
Female participation in sports has long been a controversial issue in Saudi Arabia, where clerics have said it is immodest and goes against women’s nature.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 30th, 2012.
COMMENTS (26)
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If she withdraws in a huff, world of Judo shall have to come to terms with such a catastrophic loss. It will take a long time to heal!
Problem is....why just scarf, why not the whole burqa. She is not supposed to show hands and feet either. Follow Islamiyat full on, not just half hearted. Otherwise........goodbye.....we will not miss you!!
@ Babar There is no such provision in any rule book relating to hijab. You apparantly are very much against the concept of hijab. If there is no such provision; then there is no non compliance of rules.
@Magnanimity: Stay in muslim lands dont bother the rest of the world no one wants your standards
So the whole world should change their sports so that muslims can force their will. Well maybe you should enter sports where hijab is the norm
@Complex: The url you attached has the headline: "FIFA defends hijab ban after Iranian team forfeits Olympic qualifier". In other words, another sport enforced the dress code. How does this prove your point? In fact it does the exact opposite. @Anum: If you read the article, it is clear that they worry that wearing a hijaab may lead to an accidental death of the hijaab wearer. While the Saudi participant maybe OK with that, the Olympic hosts might want to avoid such mishaps - which is understandable.
This is the kind of meaninglessness that pervades what practice of Islam is becoming due to Saudi influence. Here the whole Islamic world is now captivated about whether women should be allowed to compete in Judo in front of an audience of billions around the world while there's 12 square inches of cloth on her head or not. The world will then quickly forget that the moment this woman lands back in Saudi Arabia she will have no right to appear in public without a male escort, or to drive, or have any say in who she marries, or if she can travel abroad. This debate is as hollow as the Saudi system.
@Asif: Some people wear burqa by choice, we definitely have to respect their choice. This does not mean that the burqa could automatically become an acceptable outfit for athletes in any sport. Governing body of the sport will decide about it looking into all aspects, safety of the participating athlete being the most important. Let's not make Olympic or sporting event a platform for jihad!
These kind of bans make my belief on ISLAMIC teachings more firm and strong !!!!
Kudos for your bold decision ,Miss Shaherkani
@Complex: This time she might unable to play but next time authorities will allow. Now plz don’t cry after reading the above news.
There is no loss, hence no one crying ! But we simply should not allow this nonsenses in Sports arena, as this will create further complications ! God knows, that we already have enough ! In relation to Next Time, well time will Tell ! But i would'nt hold my Breath, that the rules are likely to change to accomodate this nonsense !
@Asif: Unfortunately,every sports has its own codes and rules and uniforms come under it... Why your countrymen who wore salwar during opening ceremony are wearing shorts while playing hockey???
Today,if we allow her to wear hijab,she will come tomorrow saying that wearing hijab makes her an easy target for her non-hijabi opponent ,so to even out the competition,the opponent should wear hijab too....
BTW,why is she wearing hijab and flashing her face to men outside her family when the national dress of Saudi Arabia is burkha....
@Complex: Do you think that anybody would have cared, had it not been for this issue about her hizab ? Its not a case that she is Medal material anyway !
I don't get it ! This young Lady does not have right to Vote nor to Drive and no doubt many more restrictions in her own Country. So what is she really doing at this games in first place ? Surely she knew as to the dress code and rules of the tournament long time back, so why start all this fuss now?
@Hegdefunder:
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/SPORT/football/06/07/football.iran.hijab.fifa/index.html
This time she might unable to play but next time authorities will allow. Now plz don't cry after reading the above news.
It's a sport where the athletes are trained to grab the clothing of there opponent in order to throw them off their feet --- the concerns expressed by the Olympic committee seem reasonable to me as wearing a hijab has to increase the likely hood of a broken neck. Someone dropped the ball as this issue should have been resolved long before she traveled to London.
The liberals will have problem with this and liberty will go down the drain!!!
@Asif: errr...... Her own choice, as in, she might get disowned or killed on her return home ,if she participated without Hijaab.
@Asif: Its very simple really , this is not part of Judo clothing ! so why should there be any exceptions for this ?
as always liberals will rant against this woman. When will you guys grow up?
@Anum: It may not be harming anyone, however there are rules as to the dress code for any event and personally i don't see why the rest of the world should accomodate such gestures in sporting arena ! People in western Nation are now beginning to be reluctant to allow this in their day to day lives too !
@Hedgefunder Just because she wants to cover her head doesn't take away her right of participating?People like you wouldn't mind if she were to wear a bikini,but if she chooses hijab it is religious oppression of some sort,hijab is her choice and she should be allowed to wear it.
If wearing a hijab is to her own disadvantage, then why should the Olympics committee bother? Its not harming then in any way, not will it harm her opponent.
Why bother to come in first place , this is a sports event, not an religious forum !
errr... shouldn't this have been clarified BEFORE she was sent there??