Michael Priolo

Hijab Article Assignment

1) What is the article about, essentially providing a brief four (4) point summary of its
major points.

1. The French Football Federation announced that it would ban the wearing of hijab.

The body within FIFA that governs the laws of the game unanimously declared that it would, for
a “trial period,” allow players to wear the hijab during international competitions. -Paragraph 2

2. FIFA became the first global international organization to officially take up the issue of
the hijab as a human rights issue.

As a result, FIFA’s decision took on a kind of symbolic importance that the members of the
organization had perhaps not, at first, expected it would. -Paragraph 10

3. The process of reversing the ban began in 2011

When FIFA officials stopped the Iranian national women’s team from playing in an Olympic
qualifying game because their players were wearing hijab. The team was literally minutes from
entering the field when they were told they could not play, though FIFA later claimed that the
Iranian federation had been warned in advance they would not be allowed to play. - Paragraph 14

4. The hijab has become a crossroads for political and religious conflict, and it should come
as no surprise that this is true in football, too.

Yet there is something fascinating about this struggle over the right to play football in a hijab
because of the nub of contradictions at work. Though they often used the pretext of player safety,
what underlies the decisions of authorities who have banned the hijab is the idea that they were
simultaneously protecting women from the veil and protecting the turf from expressions of worn
Islamic religious identification. -Paragraph 18
2) What is the solution provided within the article by a) those in favor of wearing a Hijab in
competition and b) those opposed to wearing of a Hijab in competition?

The solution provided within the article by those in favor of wearing a Hijab in competition is
“In March of this past year, FIFA voted to end the ban and allow players on the pitch in new,
specially-designed, velcro fastened hijab”. This solution for those in favor of wearing a Hijab
helps respect cultural differences and the rights women have with their identity and being able to
play soccer without having to be forced to change their beliefs.

The solution provided within the article by those opposed to wearing of a Hijab in competition is
that the Adherence to Safety Concerns: so the IFAB decision was, perhaps intentionally, vague:
no mention was made of safety, the banning of religious or political symbols, or other reasons to
prevent women from wearing a hijab. The conclusion was just that the current laws didn’t allow
them to do so. They used the Hijab as a reason for safety concerns over a ban which morally and
ethically is wrong to say to a person who is just following their religion and what they believe in.

3) Could this issue (wearing of Hijab, safety etc.) expand into other sports or parts of
society and in what capacity? Provide two (2) examples and explain your answer.

Yes this issue of wearing a Hijab could possibly expand into other sports or parts of society and
in what capacity is for example there was an incident where a woman was disqualified for
running in a hijab, Noor Alexandria Abukaram and she turned her pain into action. In a quote she
says “I AM AN ATHLETE. But, before anything, I am a Muslim woman -- and that comes with
wearing the hijab. It is a way of expressing my religion and Islam.” This perfectly describes what
we need to let happen, let people be themselves and have the right to express who they are and
not put regulations or laws on what to wear or what to believe. So yes, I believe this is possible
and is already happening in other sports. Another example is in Washington, a case of alleged
discrimination in the US. A young Muslim woman was fired from her job at a dental clinic for
wearing a hijab as her employer wanted to keep a "neutral environment" in office. Furthermore
when she decided to talk to her boss she had said “I would not compromise my religion for that,
he held the door for me and I walked out". It’s completely appalling for people to have this
mindset and society to be okay with it and these are just one or two example there’s hundreds
and thousands probably not talked about or are being held quiet which is horrible to think about
so the capacity is big and we should strive to solve these problems together.
4) What is your personal opinion regarding the occurrence, allowance/acceptance, and
consequences/laws within this issue? Provide two (2) arguments.

My personal opinion regarding the occurrence, allowance/acceptance, and

consequences/laws within this issue I believe women should be allowed to wear hijabs if it does
not cause any safety concerns for themselves or others which I believe won’t. It’s about having
religious freedom and cultural expression to all the women who deserve to be what they want to
be and not having some person strip them of what they are and having some half baked
reasoning that doesn’t apply to common competition rules. It’s unreasonable to act so rudely to
people who are representing their school, country or people and to tell them they are allowed to.
If we allow and accept this we can encourage diversity with all and show no one needs to be
scared and can participate, it helps others be inspired and have someone who is like them and can
try something new. It’s this kind of thinking that we can change the world and not be going
backwards. We should be looking for the future and what we can do to not have any issues like
these anymore.