Photo Source for 2012 Olympics Logo: Wikipedia.org
To participate in the Games of the XXX Olympiad or the 2012 Summer Olympics, which will be held in London, United Kingdom on July 27 to Aug 12, 2012 is one of the dreams that most serious athletes aspire right now. However, for an athlete to qualify in one of the world’s biggest sports event that happens only once every 4 years is not as easy as most people think since there are a number of things to consider. So lucky are those who have been qualified to join in the said upcoming sports competition.
To date, the board members of the International Olympic Committee have already released a list of NOCs who have at least one qualified athlete. There are 101 nations, as of June 7, 2011, with at least one athlete who is eligible and already sure to compete in the Games of the XXX Olympiad.
Photo Credit: REUTERS/Ali Jarekji
But if there are athletes who qualify, there are also some who fail to meet the standards for the 2012 Summer Olympics. One of them is the Iranian’s women football team. And what is the primary reason for their disqualification? It is none other but the specially-designed head and neck covering scarves, which is part of the team’s logo apparel sports uniform.
Based in Iran’s interpretation of Shiite Islamic doctrine, all female individuals are required to conceal their hair, neck, arms, and legs. Women athletes who compete internationally should obey the country’s dress code when making their uniforms. But sad to say, the International Federation of Football Association has also set its regulation for 2012 Summer Olympics and one of them is with regard to wearing of uniforms. In the guidelines, it states that “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.” And the inclusion of headscarves on Iranian women football team is one form of violating the guidelines set by FIFA. According to the news of Time.com, an unidentified official also told the press that wearing neck scarves during the game is also prohibited as it could be a cause of choking.
Share Your Opinion:
Is disqualifying Iran’s national women football team from the 2012 Olympics lawful or it is just a form of discrimination?
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