The world's top soccer body FIFA lifted the headscarf ban for women footballers. The landmark decision was taken at the request of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Committee to have FIFA cancel the plan to ban the headscarf during the 2012 Oliampiade.
FIFA's headscarf ban took its toll on the Iranian women's football team who failed to appear at the London Olympics. The Iranian government requires all women to wear the hijab from head to toe.
AFC says the headscarf is "a culture rather than a religious symbol". "The aim of removing this ban is to eliminate all forms of discrimination and FIFA will take responsibility for that," the organization said.
At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, half of Egyptian athletes and all Iranian, Afghan and Yemeni athletes wore the hijab and many won gold medals, including the Bahraini sprinter Ruqaya Al-Ghasara. (Mel / OnIslam.net / ddhongkong.org). *
