World

Muslim football team in Canada refuses to play with girls

One of two girl players was asked to sit on the sidelines during match with Islamic Society of North America

Web Desk June 04, 2015

PHOTO: YOUTUBE

A Muslim football team in Canada sparked a controversy after refusing to play against another team which consisted of two female players.

Mid-way during the match between the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and Catholic Robert F Hall Secondary School in Brampton, the Catholic school's coach was pulled to the side by the ISNA coach and told that the team was not comfortable playing against two girls.

Carla Briscoe, one of the two females on the football team, was asked to sit out in the second half if she wanted to see her team continue to play.

PHOTO: YOUTUBE

Knowing that the school's qualification was based on goal difference, Carla agreed to stay on the sidelines, but admitted she was "upset" by the decision.

"We were a little bit caught off-guard because we assumed it was a senior boys’ league and we thought it was exclusively for boys," said that ISNA team coach.

PHOTO: YOUTUBE

"Freemixing is something we generally do not do, more so out of respect than anything. It's got nothing to do with discrimination," he added.

In fact, the district football league rules state that girls are permitted to play in any team if their school does not offer a team for girls.

This article originally appeared on Mirror

COMMENTS (22)

hellboy | 9 years ago | Reply First time i came to know this name "Muslim football team" only for muslims.

Ibby | 9 years ago | Reply Good call by ISNA for making such a request. I don't think commenters have played in Western sports Teams. I have gone to schools in US and I know what language is used in sport team to call another person. For instance you shout profanities, refer to various body parts, etc. to "motivate" and bring up the team spirit, move you Keaster, behind (butt), is one slang term for-example, used in America for any player who is a little lazy on the field. So, when you hear girls being referred to like that by their fellow team mates, and the fact that you are part of the same game, might have played in the decision, for which everyone is responsible for keep promoting such acts in the society. If we can't stop someone then we should not join them in promoting such disrespectful foul language that is part of any sports, we all know that.

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SAM-CXVII | 9 years ago | Reply Hahaha. This isn't about religion or gender, these losers waited until the second half to complain, after they were getting beat by these girls. If they really had a problem playing against females they would have said so before the game.

AnyWay! | 9 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: Better yet! The girls should have played the second half from the ISNA side, to even out the effect of any doubts of courtesy shown in tacking etc. That will be true sportsmenship. Keeping women out is not only getting difficult for Muslim hardliners, it's a test of wills at BoyScouts, Army, Marines, Trucking, Bikers, lumber, Churches, Vatican, Hunting, golf and boating. So don't make it a religious issue. It's Male VS Female share now! West is utilizing it by swallowing the bitter pill daily. The result is better economy, creativity, jobs and technology. ISNA should have women team and Co-Ed teams too.

Rawalpindi kid | 9 years ago | Reply @Love Jesus: Maybe you haven't played soccer much. Its not a wrestling match. You typically don't fall on top of other players. Tackling is by legs and feet which are completely covered. You don't even touch other players and if you are careful that can be completely avoided especially against only two players on the team. It is only narrow mindedness of ISNA and the similar mindset. I don't care if ISNA refuses respectfully to play against girls, but that has to be done before the game starts and certainly not at half time when you are losing! It would be better to get out of the stone age mentality now or we will lose our youngsters who will laugh at us in the next generations.

Rawalpindi kid | 9 years ago | Reply Agree with Pasha and Stewart. What a bunch of sorry losers! Out of respect for girls? Really, do you think we all are such fools to believe this? Did the ISNA coach ask the 2 girls if they would feel respected by being made to sit on the bench? The right thing to do would have been for the ISNA team to finish the match as they should have understood the schools rules of allowing girls to play, or if that is not acceptable then to forfeit the match. To play half the match and then complain when you are losing - well I can only imagine what kind of poor impression that would have left of ISNA and muslims in general. Please come out of the stone age! Or go and live in Saudi Arabia.

Ch. Allah Daad | 9 years ago | Reply @iSay: Everyone knows that ISNA is funded by Saudi Arabia but it works in a society in which there is no gender discrimination. To solve this problem, it allowed two girls to play one half and backed out in second. Actually, its very smart of ISNA. It killed two birds with one stone.

the Skunk | 9 years ago | Reply Why object mid-way through the game? Why did they not object before the start of the game? Maybe, they were losing on goals and decided to even the score. What was the final result? Salams

Stewart J | 9 years ago | Reply Aah, the throes of a culture that is struggling to come to terms with 21st century living. That is the crux of the problem. Sadly, you can't turn the clock back. Either reform or forever be in strife.

iSay | 9 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: Please don't find a political twist in everything. It's not Olympics. ISNA has been formed more than three decades ago as a North American Muslims Assiciation. It isn't visiting from the Kingdom. The association has been participating in all sorts of numerous youth activities all over North America... all year round. The coaches are free & don't call the Kingdom for their advice on day to day basis. If it was their policy, they would have mentioned it at the start of game. It's not Pakistan where PM or CM decided about the fate of outcome in petty matters of citizens. Or do they? FGS!

Ch. Allah Daad | 9 years ago | Reply ISNA is funded by Saudi Arabia, therefore it has to follow their orders.

Mahmood Pasha | 9 years ago | Reply For all those people who said ISNA team did the right thing.... They should have refused to play at the beginning of the game... They started playing... After the first half ISNA 1 and other team scored 3 goals... And still the girls were asked to sit, ISNA lost the game 1:6... And it is the policy that if there is no girls team in a school they may play in the boys team if they qualify.... So for sure the girls were better players than boys, that's y they were selected. You don't want to play with girls it's ok, but don't do this after playing half of the game.

Wow to Journalism | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistani journalists will do anything for quick fame. Why is this a news. The opponent team didn't even feel offended as it was a very unusual thing that two girls will play a team of all men. It was a natural thing to say no to such a setup and opponent team understood and didn't make a fuss of it unlike ET and people commenting here.

atherkhanturi | 9 years ago | Reply i think the muslim team should not make it an issue. but should have warned the other team, that if any tackle happen to their female players, they should not give it to any religious or sexist color. i am pretty much sure, that if any hard tackle would take place, the newpapers would make a headline like "sexist muslim guys tortured an innocent christian virgin girl."

CoachAlFar! | 9 years ago | Reply Games are played and won with athletes' psychology. Just because men act and behave differently in-front of women is enough reason that they can't play freely while tackling, chasing the ball and then pushing, shoving or knocking her over to stop her from making goal against his team... they way he's used to with boys. As a mater of fact injecting girls would work in favor of winning team. that's what is unfair. Few Pro-mixing commentator above are either not football players or are oblivious to this fact. At intense moments of game it will troubling for my boys to tackle and throw out someone who has same sex as his sister at home. There is nothing Religious here, its all about fairness. The Boys' Objection Now make sense.

unbelievable | 9 years ago | Reply Girls have every right to play sports in N America and if these knuckle daggers think otherwise they should be banned from Soccer matches. Your entitled to your religious and cultural views - but your not entitled to impose your beliefs on others.

Farzan | 9 years ago | Reply @Ahmer Butt: If Canada's rules say they can play then they can play. Law. Simple as that. I am a Muslim and I am sorry to those women for discriminatory behavior by other Muslims.

Nicholas | 9 years ago | Reply Its neither a matter of religious affiliations nor beliefs but in fact its a matter of understanding. Football is not a sport like tennis, table tennis where you don't get physical with opposition. Therefore, school should better understand the fact that boys will get physical with girls though it will result in a foul. I just have one question to ask the school administration will they allow boys and girls getting physical on school campus as well?

Love Jesus | 9 years ago | Reply @reality: And to those who recommended his post: at workplace, school or trips you don't fall on top of your female colleague, you don't push/touch your female colleague the way you might do during a football match while playing/tackling etc... They are wise not to play. This is the respect for women Islam teaches you.

Ahmer Butt | 9 years ago | Reply There is nothing bad about it in refusing to play against girls. It doesn't take us to stone age rather it depicts that we still have some respect left for girls. Secondly, girls playing against boys isn't a fair game either. In every game, there are formats defined: either men vs men, women vs women or mixed vs mixed. Every profession has rules for treating females. Even equal opportunity employers are comfortable asking male staff to sit longer hours and allowing females to leave on time. Does it mean they are in stone age? Why do we ask for female constables to handle female criminals? Do we think that men law enforcers are not capable of handling them? Again, its rather to show some respect. ET, you are not doing journalism, you are creating hatred for one community in other's mind. Show some responsibility and stop gossiping..

A Pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply I wonder how Islamic Society of North America will react if a team with white players refuses to play against them as they are “brown” people - however the reason given is that they have “respect” for brown people. Then there will be outrage and screams of Islamophobia and racism.

reality | 9 years ago | Reply you study together, do job together ,went for the trip/picnic together but cant play together.

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