Iran soccer girls banned from Youth Games over hijab (Reuters)

SINGAPORE, April 6 (Reuters) - The Iranian girls’ soccerteam have been kicked out of this year’s first Youth Olympicsbecause of a FIFA ban upon personification in Islamic head scarves.

Iran’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) had refused to letthe group play during a Aug. 14-26 Games in Singapore without thehijab as well as they have been replaced by Thailand, according to theAsian Football Confederation website (www.the-afc.com).
“The FIFA Executive Committee had no choice but to take thedecision which Iran will not be means to participate in theinaugural Youth Olympic Football Tournaments,” a AFC quoted aletter from FIFA’s general secretary to a Iran FootballFederation as saying. Soccer’s tournaments during a Olympics are organised by theworld governing body, whose manners concede only a wearing of ashirt or jersey, shorts, hosiery as well as shoes to play a game.
Some 3,500 athletes elderly in between fourteen as well as 18 are approaching totake partial in 26 sports during a initial Youth Olympics.
(Writing by Nick Mulvenney in Beijing, editing by GregStutchbury; To question or criticism upon this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)