Allowing veiled women to play soccer is “seriously” wrong, said a groups of moderate Muslims in Italy in a joint letter sent to international soccer’s governing body.
“We express our deep dissent for the discriminatory choice which evidently was made to please some of the powerful of the future World Cup host country,” said the letter to Zurich-based FIFA, referring to Qatar, the host for the men’s and women’s 2022 World Cup soccer championship.
FIFA’s International Football Association Board (IFAB) on Thursday lifted a ban on women players using the Islamic headscarf, or hijab.
The scarf had been prohibited due to safety concerns and because it was not recognised in international soccer rules.
“It’s very serious that from a sports governing body...comes such a concession that shows little knowledge of reality about women Muslims,” said the letter signed by the Confederation of Moroccans in Italy, the OC Organisation of Pakistan, the Association of Moroccan Women in Italy , the Association of Arab Women in Italy , and other groups.