A woman football coach and refugee advocate has been barred from playing in a match due to her religious beliefs. Iqra Ismail, who led Somalia in 2019 and established Hilltop FC, had been expected to play in her first game for Regent’s Park grassroots team United Dragons FC on Sunday against an east London side. However, she was prevented from doing so since she wears tracksuit bottoms instead of shorts, which she contends compromises her religious beliefs. The issue arose when she signed up for the team.
Ms Ismail revealed that the issue of wearing shorts had never been a problem for her in playing in the same league for nearly five years. She has always worn long sleeve tops, the team’s shirt, tracksuit bottoms, a sports hijab, and other necessary equipment, as well as shin pads. She added that tracksuit bottoms were the problem, not the long sleeve top. Ms Ismail tried to give the league help on the issue as a coach, citing the Football Association’s advice on leniency, but the league pointed to a specific clause in the kit rules.
The Greater London Women’s Football League has given the verdict that players cannot wear tracksuit bottoms. In contrast, the Football Association’s advice is to be lenient about the issue and instructs that players wearing additional garments to their religious beliefs must be allowed to play. Ms Ismail mentioned that for many women of the same faith and beliefs, the reason they do not play is that they do not feel comfortable wearing shorts. She had hoped to work with the FA and the league to change the rules and would work with the International Football Association Board to change the rules on an international scale in the longer term.
A spokesperson from the FA stated that the organization was aware of the matter and in touch with the Middlesex FA to ensure speedy resolution. They further confirmed they had proactively communicated with all county FAs and match officials across the women’s grassroots game earlier this year so that women and girls could wear clothing that guarantees their faith or religious beliefs are not violated. They also assured that they were in close contact with Ms Ismail and offering support to ensure that the issue was resolved
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
