FIBA Urged to Permanently Lift Basketball Hijab Ban

TEHRAN (IQNA) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on the Switzerland-based International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to permanently lift the ban on Muslim women athletes wearing Islamic head scarves (hijab) when it issues a final decision on its head-covering policy later this month.

 CAIR had requested and received a change to the hijab ban in 2014 and is working with two American Muslim basketball players who were being impacted by the prohibition.

Sikh players who wear turbans for religious reasons had also been prevented from playing basketball under FIBA's policy.

As part of a two-year testing program that FIBA agreed to in 2014 following intervention by CAIR and Sikh organizations, players can currently wear hijabs (and Sikh turbans) in some competitions. FIBA will likely issue its final decision on hijab after the Rio Olympics.

CIAR is the United States’ largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. 

Source: CAIR