FIFA Dress Code Bars Iran Girls From Youth Games
ASSOCIATED PRESS: ZURICH — Iran's girls' soccer team was thrown out of the Youth Olympics because FIFA rules prevent players from wearing an Islamic headscarf.

Thailand replaces Iran in the August tournament, the governing body of Asian soccer said on its Web site Monday.

The hijab scarf — worn by girls and women to observe Islamic dress code — was not allowed under FIFA rules relating to on-field equipment, the Asian Football Confederation said. Iran's national Olympic committee had urged soccer's international ruling body and the International Olympic Committee to review the ban.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke rejected the Iranian Olympic panel's request in a letter to the national soccer federation. He said the FIFA executive committee had "no choice but to take the decision."

FIFA maintains that soccer's international rulebook contains a section on player equipment, stating that "basic compulsory equipment must not have any political, religious or personal statements." >>> | Easter Monday, April 05, 2010

Iran Demands Fifa Lifts Olympic Games Football Hijab Ban
THE TELEGRAPH: Iran has demanded that Fifa overturn a ban on its girls football team from the Youth Olympic games after the team was kicked out for wearing Islamic scarves that contravene international rules.

Players of Iran's women national football team. Photograph: The Telegraph
Iran's national Olympic committee had called on Fifa, football's world governing body, and the International Olympic Committee to review the ban on the hijab.

The hijab is worn women beyond the age of puberty to observe Islamic rules on modesty and interaction of the sexes.

"We have asked the heads of these international sports organisations to review and annul Fifa's decision," Bahram Afsharzadeh, the Iranian Olympic committee secretary general said. "Hijab is related to the Islamic culture and Muslim women can't take part in social activities without it." >>> Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Iranian-German Footballer Offends Jewish Community
SPIEGELONLINE INTERNATIONAL: An Iranian-German soccer player who plays for the German national Under-21 side has asked not to play against Israel in a friendly on October 12. The team has accepted his request, angering Germany's Jewish lobby.

An Iranian-born player for Germany's under-21 national soccer team has caused controversy by asking to be excused from playing a match against Israel in Tel Aviv this Friday.

Ashkan Dejagah, 21, said in a statement posted on the German Football Federation's Web site that his reasons for not playing were "of a very personal nature and have to do with my close family."

But the player had previously been quoted in Bild newspaper as saying: "There are political reasons. Everyone knows I'm a German Iranian." Dejagah has dual citizenship. Berlin newspaper B.Z. quoted him as saying: "I have more Iranian than German blood in my veins. Besides, I'm doing this out of respect. After all, my parents are Iranian." Iranian-Born German Soccer Player Refuses to Play Israel (more)

Mark Alexander