Ref benches teen soccer player because of headscarf in Florida

For six years, Iman Khalil has worn a headscarf with her soccer uniform. It wasn't a problem until this past weekend, when a referee decided before a tournament match on Saturday that the headscarf violated league rules.

"The referee looked at me and said, 'You can't play in that,'" the 15-year-old told The Tampa Tribune. "This isn't headgear or anything. It's part of the faith. I don't think it should be a problem that I wear it."

A league official overruled referee Steve Richardson during half-time, but he still refused to let the Muslim girl play in the second half of the game.

"At first I was extremely upset," she said. "I got very emotional. I kept my cool. I wiped my face because I was crying. But then everyone rallied around us. All the team. All the parents. Even the other team. It was just phenomenal."

The league later apologized to Iman and reminded referees that players are allowed to wear religious articles as long they don't pose a threat of injury.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/10/ref-benches-tee.html?loc=interstitialskip

Why are there so many adults that lack common sense?!

Again.

I know, it happens everywhere....

As children we reap what are parents portray.
We are products of our environment.
Unlike a lot of us here who strive
to learn. This person does not
wish to learn. If he knew what
this headscarf signified to this young
woman it would have never been an issue.
Also why our war is failing in Iraq.
How many different dialects are there?
Of course they kicked out some of the interpreters
because they found out they where Gay. Difference again.
As the world turns.
Knowledge is the best power.
Evolve.

if there might be an imam out there somewhere who might give this young lady a dispensation to not have to wear her hijab during a contact sport in which she might conceivably be strangled by it. Accidents happen. That's why they're called "accidents."

Just curious: is there an Iranian or Iraqi or Turkish or Jordanian womens' soccer squad? And do THEY have to play wearing religious headgear?

That's the beauty of the internets!

...if the ref was over-ruled then he does what he's told or he's walking...

What an ASSHOLE!!!

The only one sitting out the second half
should have been that bigoted Ref.

Hopefully, disobeying a League Official
will lead to him "sitting out" the rest
of his refereeing career.

I suspect it's something in the water.