Iran: Iran's girls get the boot from FIFA over hijab

AlArabiya.net. reports the Iranian girls' soccer team have been kicked out of this year's first Youth Olympics because of a FIFA ban on playing in Islamic head scarves.

Iran's National Olympic Committee (NOC) had refused to let the team play at the Aug. 14-26 Games in Singapore without the hijab and Thailand was nominated to replace the barred Iranians, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on its Web site.

The hijab is worn by girls and women to observe Islamic dress code.

"FIFA decreed that the wearing of Islamic hijab was not in accordance with the laws of the game," the Asian governing body said in a statement.

Published by i On Global Trends - Mike Hitchen Online - news, opinion, analysis
See also Sydney Irresistible and for personal comment, Mike Hitchen Unleashed
Putting principles before profits