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By Brooks PECK

Photo: Reuters

The Iranian women's soccer team was in tears after being forced to forfeit a 2012 London Olympics qualifying match this past weekend because it showed up to play in hijabs. FIFA banned the Islamic head scarf in 2007, saying that it could cause choking injuries -- the same reason it gave for recently banning snoods (neck warmers). FIFA also has strict rules against any religious statements in team uniforms.Since Iran refused to comply with these rules and didn't use the specially designed caps that its 2010 Youth Olympics team wore, Friday's match was abandoned by officials and a 3-0 win was awarded to Jordan as a result. The Football Federation of Iran said it will complain to FIFA about the ruling, but FIFA says assurances were made beforehand so that this situation would've been avoided. From the AP:

"Despite initial assurances that the Iranian delegation understood this, the players came out wearing the hijab, and the head and neck totally covered, which was an infringement of the laws of the game," FIFA said in a statement. [...]Jordan team officials also objected to the hijab rule before the game, but prepared to play by declining to select women who objected on religious grounds."The Iranian team and three Jordanian players were also banned from playing because they wore the traditional head cover," Rana Husseini, head of Jordan's women's football committee, told The Associated Press."The problem is that the head cover assigned and approved by FIFA for women players to wear does not suit them as it reveals part of the neck and this is not allowed and it is not acceptable," she said.

Iran also forfeited a second group match against Vietnam on Sunday, seriously damaging its chances of advancing to the London Olympics. It seems unlikely that its federation's complaints will help its case, though, since these rules are not new and compromises have been made in the past. It's just a shame these women were put in the middle of this debate between Iran's federation and FIFA and set up for disappointment.Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Iranian-women-s-soccer-team-forfeits-2012-qualif?urn=oly-wp280

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This post is related to an ongoing story:

• FIFA Bans Hijab, Pushes Iranian Team to the Sidelines

View Original Post at muslimwomeninsports.blogspot.com

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There are 2 comments on this post. Join the discussion!

WISIBlog says:

The entire women's soccer community really should rally behind the team from Iran, and all women who must play soccer/football while wearing a hijab. The rule change by FIFA effectively told Muslim women that practice this aspect of their religion that they are not welcome in international football. I hope that the media approach members of other nations teams to get their opinion on this and I also hope that the athletes speak out candidly. I feel like this decision is something that would be made in 1900 not 2011.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 1:16pm EDT

anngaff says:

Erin, I agree! This is despicable, and for it to happen at the same time as the Women's World Cup Initiative is just sick. We are trying to empower women around the world by encouraging them to participate in sports and then some of them get banned for adhering to their religion's customs.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 11:44pm EDT

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