Australia's judo head coach endorses a ruling that has outlawed Saudi judoka Wojdan Shaherkani from wearing the hijab head scarf during the Olympic competition in London.
The 18-year-old heavyweight is one of the first two female athletes the Islamic monarchy has ever sent to a Games and like the other - the American-raised 800 metres runner Sarah Attar - was included in the Saudi party on the proviso she adhere to sharia law dress code. That includes a hijab or headscarf.
However, International Judo Federation (IJF) president Marius Vizer on Thursday announced that Shaherkani would be banned from wearing it on the mat at the ExCel centre in London Docklands and must instead compete with her head uncovered.It could break loose. Women have got a T-shirt, guys aren't allowed to wear things lower than their knee because you can get your fingers caught. I've got no problem with the decision.
It was a decision that did not surprise Stewart Brain, a 1988 Olympian who is now the Australian team head coach and national secretary of the Judo Federation of Australia. Brain expects the teenager may be allowed to wear the hijab to the side of the mat before being required to remove it to fight.
Judo's uncompromising safety guidelines around the competitors' outfit, the judogi, were never likely to be relaxed at the Olympics, he said.
''It was always going to be a no-no here,'' Brain said. ''It could break loose. Women have got a T-shirt, guys aren't allowed to wear things lower than their knee because you can get your fingers caught. I've got no problem with the decision.''
There were concerns that the scarf could be caught around Shaherkani's throat as an opponent tries to grip and throw her, or it could fall over her eyes and impede her vision. As choking is one of the tactics used on the mat in the sport there was an argument that the hijab could also stand in the way of a rival's attempts to move their fingers close to the neck and complete the technical manoeuvre.
''The other thing is because is it's up (around the neck) you could get your finger in there and tear it off,'' Brain said. ''At the end of the day it doesn't fit for safety reasons.''
Shaherkani, who will compete in the over 78kg women's judo event on August 3, may not even be able to wear the scarf into the ExCel arena and to the side of the mat because of the judogi control regulations which see competitors checked forensically for any deviations from the legal uniform before they are cleared to fight.
At the control station the length of athletes' pants are measured, as is the gap between the sleeves of their shirt, and their belt. Male fighters are not even allowed to wear boxer shorts with buttons under their white outfits, so tough are officials on safety and uniformity.
''The Saudi Arabian athlete will take part in judo and she will fight according to the principle and spirit of judo, so without a hijab,'' was the explanation of Vizer, the IJF boss after the Olympic judo draw was made on Thursday.
In the first round Shaherkani will take on Melissa Mojica of Puerto Rico, but the fight is unlikely to be a genuine contest as the Saudi is a relative newcomer to the sport and does not even possess a black belt.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had pushed for Saudi Arabia to break with their long-standing position of not sending women to compete at the Olympics and with the addition of female athletes from Qatar and Brunei for the first time as well, all member countries have now included women in teams.
The Saudis' acquiescence was reached only a fortnight ago but according to their ultra-conservative terms, with their top sports official Prince Nawaf bin Faisal saying the two women in their delegation must have the permission of their father and compete ''wearing suitable clothing that complies with sharia''.
The Saudi regime enforces non-flexible restrictions on women, hence their reticence to bend at the Olympics.
''There must also be no mixing with men during the Games,'' Prince Faisal had told the Al-Jazirah newspaper.
''The athlete and her guardian must pledge not to break these conditions.''
He also insisted female athletes be accompanied by a male guardian at all times.
The Saudi dress stipulations could see their other athlete, 19-year-old Attar, run at the Olympic Stadium with her head, legs and arms covered when the women's 800m event is held on August 8 and 9.
Attar, born and raised in California but with dual citizenship due to her Saudi father, studies at Pepperdine University in the United States, where she has reportedly competed in a tank top and shorts. She will almost certainly be wearing significantly more on the track in London.
Hajib outlawed.
Hajib outlawed.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Hajib outlawed.
Hmmmm...suspicious? I wonder how many shekels were donated to allow this to happen.LONDON (Reuters) - A female Saudi fighter will take part in the Olympic judo competition after being allowed to wear an Islamic headscarf, or hijab, of a specific design, officials said on Monday.
Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani is one of only two Saudi women to travel to London after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) lobbied the conservative Islamic kingdom to end its refusal to send women to the Games.
But she had said she would only compete if she was allowed to wear the hijab, and judo officials refused, saying it would be dangerous.
A Saudi National Olympic Committee spokeswoman said the committee, the IOC and the International Judo Federation (IJF) had now agreed on an acceptable form for the headscarf.
"They agreed on a design and she will compete wearing this design," Razan Baker said, adding that she did not know how this design looked.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Hajib outlawed.
There was a similar issue here with girls wanting to play soccer (I think) wearing a hijab. Someone came forward with a design of a spandex looking thingie that fit very closely to the head, and it was approved on the basis that it was not something that could interfere with play or endanger her or anyone else in any way. I imagine that something similar could have been worked out here.
"Hang on while I log in to the James Webb telescope to search the known universe for who the fuck asked you." -- James Fell
Re: Hajib outlawed.
Not knowing the sharia law; does it have to be a hijab? I thought the point was just to keep the woman's 'crown of glory' from sight. Couldn't she wear a Sport Do Rag, to cover her hair?
I've seen plenty of women wear these while playing sports;
I've seen plenty of women wear these while playing sports;
