# Qatari women's basketball team



## Davey Jones (Sep 27, 2014)

Qatari women's basketball team withdraws from Asian Games over headscarves
Hell with them,they can go back to practicing their 20 virgins game.
Do the Jew players wear their yarmulkes during games?

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olymp...m-asian-games-over-headscarves-202810450.html


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## Falcon (Sep 27, 2014)

That's the problem with most religions; too restrictive.  They rule every minute of your daily life.

 I don't need ANY  "god" to control MY life; I can manage it all by myself.


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## Fern (Sep 27, 2014)

Nothings sacred anymore.


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## Debby (Sep 28, 2014)

Quite a lack of understanding going on here folks.  Maybe one more reason why the Muslim nations are so anti-America?

The fact that the women are prepared to play an active sport with what some in the West might consider a handicap (keeps the heat in, possibly slight restrictive of free movement) speaks volumes to their strength of faith and commitment.  And instead, a joke about 'reward virgins'  (to women?????), etc.,  At what point does humanity begin to realize that peace will come when we respect one anothers choices even if they are different than ours?

Besides wasn't one of the reasons that Europeans and Brits fled to the New World because of religious oppression and doesn't the American Constitution guarantee a right to religious freedoms?  Americans above all else, should be supportive of anybody's religious expression as it was apparently important enough to your founding fathers to actually write it into your Constitution.


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## Davey Jones (Sep 28, 2014)

re:Besides wasn't one of the reasons that Europeans and Brits fled to the New World because of religious oppression and doesn't the American Constitution guarantee a right to religious freedoms? Americans above all else, should be supportive of anybody's religious expression as it was apparently important enough to your founding fathers to actually write it into your Constitution. 

Love our Constitution,Bill of righs but it was 1791 (I believe) and this is 2014,things change whether we like it or not.  
It does not say anything about any religion being force on us and to accept it.


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## Debby (Sep 28, 2014)

Davey Jones said:


> re:Besides wasn't one of the reasons that Europeans and Brits fled to the New World because of religious oppression and doesn't the American Constitution guarantee a right to religious freedoms? Americans above all else, should be supportive of anybody's religious expression as it was apparently important enough to your founding fathers to actually write it into your Constitution.
> 
> Love our Constitution,Bill of righs but it was 1791 (I believe) and this is 2014,things change whether we like it or not.
> It does not say anything about any religion being force on us and to accept it.




Oh, so you're one of those who is in favour of dumping/ignoring your Constitution because it's 'old'? You do realize that that quaint old document is also what protects your rights and freedoms (or at least it used to).  
It's an issue of 'principle' Davey.  Why should anybody respect anything you do if you never give it back?  You want the world to be nice to you, be nice to them.  You want to be treated fairly, you have to also treat others fairly, you want to live in safety, you have to allow others to live in safety.  You want others to respect your religious  beliefs, you have to respect theirs.  Are you seeing a pattern here?


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## SeaBreeze (Sep 28, 2014)

It looks like they are considering changing the rules to allow religious headwear...http://thinkprogress.org/sports/2014/09/17/3568457/fiba-relaxes-headwear-policy/


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## QuickSilver (Sep 28, 2014)

Not sure WHY the scarves aren't allowed.. What is it hurting?


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## SeaBreeze (Sep 28, 2014)

Looks like they were initially concerned with injury to head and neck...http://www.aljazeera.com/sport/foot...s-hijab-turban-players-20143113053667394.html


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## Debby (Sep 28, 2014)

In Quebec Canada this was an issue of dispute too but Quebec finally had to bow to pressure as (like SeaBreezes link states) FIFA had changed their rules in 2012. Working it's way through the system eh?  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...ll-levels-of-canadian-soccer/article12550476/

So some sports clubs are changing to respect others.  Personally, I think that's a great thing.  I'm always pleasantly amazed when I read of Muslim women being allowed to do this sort of thing at all or like that Saudi woman who is a fighter pilot!  Some women are so wonderfully strong, being at the forefront of important cultural changes.  Just like on my Facebook timeline thingy (do I sound techy?), someone shared an old photo of a 15 year old black girl being the first to enter the previously all white school.  From the looks on the faces of the kids that were following her in, I can only say, she (and others like her) were very brave!  Go ladies!


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## QuickSilver (Sep 29, 2014)

So.. wait.. what was the original objection to it?   Something about head and neck injuries... from a scarf?    Arent' there rules in sports about no grabbing and pulling on helmets or face masks?   So what's the problem with a scarf or any other head covering?   Couldn't be just a pinch of prejudice could it?


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## oldman (Sep 29, 2014)

I officiated high school and college basketball for 37 years. I no longer do college, but still officiate high school basketball. High school rules do not allow for any jewelry to be worn by player or officials, except for a smooth wedding ring, (no stones), or a medical bracelet that must be taped to their wrist. No necklaces of any kind may be worn. If you have ever watched a basketball game and have seen several player s go up for a rebound, it is very possible for a hand or arm to be slipped through a necklace or any head scarf that could result in injury to both parties. The PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association), which is the administration association for all state high schools in Pennsylvania, did write an exception a few years ago to allow Muslim girls to wear their head scarfs, (sorry, I do not know the proper word), during athletic contests, but the school must sign a letter of liability that if anyone should become injured due to the wearing of the head scarf, the school would assume all liability.

I know of a few incidents where officials were injured by players getting their hands stuck on an official's whistle lanyard and pulling the lanyard with enough force to put ligature marks around their necks and also causing injury.


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## QuickSilver (Sep 29, 2014)

wouldn't it just be easier to penalize anyone for grabbing or pulling on a headscarf?


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## oldman (Sep 29, 2014)

It is not always done on purpose. Sometimes it just happens accidentally. A rebounder going up for the ball sometimes doesn't get the ball, but may get the scarf or have his hand stuck in the scarf. Basketball is thought to be a 'no contact' sport, but that is far from the truth.


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## Davey Jones (Sep 29, 2014)

re:
Oh, so you're one of those who is in favour of dumping/ignoring your Constitution because it's 'old'? 


I never said anything about dumping /ignoring our Constitution,Im saying your religion,****** preference ,etc should not be FORCED upon us and expect us to follow their rules.


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## QuickSilver (Sep 29, 2014)

Davey Jones said:


> re:
> Oh, so you're one of those who is in favour of dumping/ignoring your Constitution because it's 'old'?
> 
> 
> I never said anything about dumping /ignoring our Constitution,Im saying your religion,****** preference ,etc should not be FORCED upon us and expect us to follow their rules.



I wouldn't see this as anyone FORCING their religion on anyone...  No one is saying everyone has to wear a headscarf.  It's about the freedom to practice ones own religion.. and in this case, the head covering is part of the Muslim faith.  That is DEFINATELY a Constitutional right.. isn't it?  So the only question is if it's a hazard in some way to everyone on the team. and IMO that's debatable.


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## Davey Jones (Sep 29, 2014)

NBA Player Dress Code.
Headgear of any kind while a player is sitting on the bench or in the stands at a game, during media interviews, or during a team or league event or appearance (unless appropriate for the event or appearance, team-identified, and approved by the team)

This one too....Sunglasses while indoors .....ROFL


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## Debby (Sep 29, 2014)

QuickSilver said:


> I wouldn't see this as anyone FORCING their religion on anyone...  No one is saying everyone has to wear a headscarf.  It's about the freedom to practice ones own religion.. and in this case, the head covering is part of the Muslim faith.  That is DEFINATELY a Constitutional right.. isn't it?  So the only question is if it's a hazard in some way to everyone on the team. and IMO that's debatable.





Well spoken QuickSilver.


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## Debby (Sep 29, 2014)

Davey Jones said:


> re:
> Oh, so you're one of those who is in favour of dumping/ignoring your Constitution because it's 'old'?
> 
> 
> I never said anything about dumping /ignoring our Constitution,Im saying your religion,****** preference ,etc should not be FORCED upon us and expect us to follow their rules.




No one is forcing non-Muslims to wear a head covering.  These young ladies who are athletes asked for and got a religious-beliefs exemption to a club rule.


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