MONTREAL: Sikh footballers have been cleared to wear turbans while playing in the Canadian province of Quebec following clarification from world governing body FIFA, officials said.
The Quebec Soccer Federation provoked an outcry after ruling that Sikhs were not allowed to take to the pitch wearing turbans, prompting the Canadian Soccer Association to issue a suspension of the province.
However, after receiving clarification from FIFA, the QSF has passed a resolution allowing the wearing of turbans.
Quebec officials appeared to suggest yesterday that the controversy was the fault of ambiguity in the wording of the FIFA rules on headgear.
“It has been our intention from the onset to get a confirmation that the FIFA allowed wearing of turbans, patkas or keskis,” QSF executive director Brigitte Frot said in a statement.
“We are very happy that the FIFA responded to our request and by the same token dispelled ambiguities created by a lack of clarification.
“Our intervention was solely from a technical point of view and had absolutely nothing to do with religious matters or political issues.
“We were unwillingly led to this path while we were only trying to get information on a regulation issue that falls under the body that governs our sport.”
Frot had earlier triggered uproar when she was quoted as saying that if Quebec children wanted to wear turbans while playing football, they could “play in their backyards.”
AFP
