I recently worked on a project with two journalism colleagues (Sadiya Ansari and Suzanne Ahearne). Our multimedia story package covered the issue of hijab and soccer. Young girls across Canada are being forced from the soccer field because the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) regulations state that the hijab poses a safety risk. So far, no injuries have been reported and no medical tests can prove the hijab might injure players during games. Young men and boys who wear turbans are facing a similar dilemma: remove their turbans or sit on the sidelines. Local Canadian stories have and will continue to surface leading up to FIFA’s final vote in July on the approval of a new safety-tested hijab. This vote comes after FIFA lifted its hijab ban in March. FIFA’s hijab ban illustrates the extreme influence soccer’s international governing body has over local, amateur sport. See thethunderbird.ca for our original story. 

Canada.com published an article on May 20th that proves young men are being forced from the soccer field for wearing turbans. Aneel Samra, a 17-year-old in Montreal, was turned away during league registration for failing to agree to play without his turban.

No reports prove that the turban gives players an added advantage or threatens their wellbeing during play. But the league refunded Samra’s money regardless, according to Canada.com.

The LaSalle-based soccer league fears it could be fined for allowing players to wear turbans.

FIFA does not allow professional players to wear turbans during soccer games. And the Lac St. Louis Regional Soccer Association, the body that governs the LaSalle minor soccer association, has decided to enforce the no turban rule.

This decision comes at an interesting time as FIFA will vote on a safety-tested hijab in just over one month. It also raises an important question as to whether or not the hijab ban was ever really about safety.

If the safety-tested hijab is approved, will FIFA also have to consider allowing men to play with turbans?