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Subscribe to RSSThe International Judo Federation ruled one of Saudi Arabia's first female Olympic athletes will not be allowed to wear a hijab in the judo competition. Human Rights Watch advocate Minky Worden reacts.
Olympic and Saudi Arabian officials are in talks with judo chiefs to find a solution after the sport's governing body ruled the Saudi's female competitor would have to fight without a hijab, or Islamic headscarf.
On Thursday, the head of the International Judo Federation (IJF) president Marius Vizer confirmed Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani, one of the first two female athletes sent to the Olympics by the conservative Muslim kingdom, would not be allowed to wear a hijab.
Shaherkani is due to compete in the women's heavyweight tournament next Friday, and her participation could now be in doubt.
"We still have one week. She is still scheduled to compete, there's no information that she won't compete," IJF spokesman Nicolas Messner told Reuters. "We still have time."
He said talks were underway between the Saudi Arabian National Olympic Committee, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the IJF to attempt to resolve the issue.
He did not elaborate on how this could be achieved but said there was "very good collaboration."
IOC spokesman Mark Adams confirmed there had been a meeting on Thursday.
"It was a positive discussion and we are confident a solution will be found," he said. Asked what that solution would be, he said: "There are a range of options."
No one from the Saudi delegation could be reached for comment.
However, a Saudi official had told Reuters earlier this month they expected that the women would have to obey the dress code of Islamic law. He did not elaborate, but other conservative Muslim countries have interpreted this to mean a headscarf, long sleeves and long pants.
Vizer told reporters that Shaherkani would fight according to "the principle and spirit of judo" and thus without a headscarf.
The federation makes the argument that wearing the headscarf would be unsafe. But Human Rights Watch's Director of Global Initiatives, Minky Worden, says a number of federations do allow the wearing of head coverings that comply with religious requirements.
"Many of the judo federations, especially for example the Asian judo federation, which has Malaysia and Singapore, those are women who do compete in headscarves, and there have long been accommodations that are made for religious dress," Worden said.
Shaherkani, who will compete in the 78 kg (172 pounds) category in judo, and teenage 800-meter runner Sarah Attar were the first Saudi women allowed to take part in the Olympics after talks between the IOC and the country.
The decision to allow female Saudi athletes to compete at London was praised by IOC President Jacques Rogge at the time.
"This is very positive news and we will be delighted to welcome these two athletes in London in a few weeks time," Rogge said in a statement in early July.
Saudi Arabia was one of three countries, alongside Brunei and Qatar, never to have sent female athletes to the Olympics but the latter two confirmed earlier this year that their delegations would include women.
“This was to have been a breakthrough for women’s rights," Worden said. "It would be a shame to only have one [woman competing]."
Reuters contributed to this report.
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If she wears it her opponents should be able to grab it and choke the crap out of her til she taps out.
Now that I would watch. Why do they even wear hijabs we all know they have black hair.
Is she going to wear a burqa instead of a gi also?!?! This is really absurd. The regulations for the uniform to compete were known by this woman well in advance of her decision to compete. The only reason for waiting until now to raise this issue is to get the most publicity they can and to try and get the public to feel sorry for her and pressure the IJF to allow her to compete wearing the hijab. The hijab would present a real safety hazard to her and to those competing against her. It would be too easy for the hijab to become tangled and for her to be strangled by it. I hope the IJF stands it's ground.
Sunni Saudis and some like Qatar, Brunei appear to have crossed too many limits in their one-way street.
"However, a Saudi official had told Reuters earlier this month they expected that the women would have to obey the dress code of Islamic law."
If they want to participate in Olympics, they should follow Olympics laws and not their seventh century desert Islamic law!
They can go back to their camels and ride them with all the dresses they want to wear.
IOC should not yield to the Sunni Saudi bigoted Islamic religious Nazis demands. There won't be any ends to their demands.
These Fu%$#& Pigs are always trying to change the rules. If they don't like the Rules, then do not Compete!!!!!! They are Always Complaining about something Stay the Hell Home!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Obviously you have forgotten the rules of being a decent human being. Please learn some respect when talk about other people's cultures and religions.
I won't be disrespectful of their religion, but she and her government did know the rules beforehand, and obviously agreed, else they would not have sent her. IJF says no hijab, then no hijab.
Hey-- Krestov-- Are you one of those Muslim's? I haven't forgotten any rules on being a Decent Human Being. You should talk to the Musliim's about being just Human!!!!!
You are 100 percent right.
What about other Muslim nations?
If Sunni Saudis want special rules for them, are the other Muslim women participants in Olympics and other sporting events un-Islamic?
In 1990, about 500 Shiites rebels took over their holiest Mecca/Medina.
The brave Saudi soldiers, who are used to battling women, minorities and other unarmed under "Islamic laws" could not dislodge them.
Then the same took the help of Jordanian and Paki soldiers to crush the rebellion.
In 1991, when Saddam took over Kuwait and was on the head of "Islamic" Saudi Arabia, Saudis should have taken the help of Islamic nations instead of manipulating battling of Saddam and saving them by infidel NATO forces.
They did this manipulation through oil companies, lobbyists and some extremist Jewish lobbys.
These ungrateful Sunni Sauddi backstabbers manipulated high oil prices.
After becoming richer by putting us in streets, these very Sunni bigoted Islamic religious Nazis got busy financing the Sunni Islamic extremist Salaffi and Wahhabi mosques all over the world.
With what face these very "Islamic" Saudis arranged for stationing the US soldiers to guard their ruler and his 5000 princes and princesses?
Are we in 21st century or in some seventh century camels riding desert days?
We are expected to respect a religion where even the "moderates" condone and sympathize with the most extreme who commit horrific crimes against humanity in every corner of the world, and on a scale that is unprecedented in all of our world history ?
Sure there were religious wars 500+ years ago, but honestly, the Muslims started them too.
Frankly, I hope that hijab gets caught by a passing car and rips her head off.
To be completely fair, this is a religious requirement for them. I imagine that many people from this woman's community are outraged by the fact that she's going to be wearing pants in front of thousands of people. Additionally, the sport she's competing in is not in the least "feminine" - she's going to be fighting another woman. While I do not agree with the religious requirements this woman is under, I imagine simply getting this woman to the Olympics has required an uncomfortable amount of compromise from the Saudi government, and I hope that the Olympic commission can come up with a compromise that will allow her to compete.
No. no. no. Why always the rest of the world should (ROTW) make way for them? When it comes to Saudi Arabia, they will not make way for ROTW. ROTW will have to abide by their rules. When they go to ROTW cities, they expect and demand ROTW make way for them and abide by their oh-so-sensitive-religious adherence. Too long they fed on our tolerance. Too long. Its high time to say a defiant NO.
Lets be real about what's going on. This is not about wearing the hijab but about muslins wanting to take control. the Olympic commitee's should stand their ground. "God" forbid if we should challenge one of their rules. Let them have thier own Olympics in their country.
No its about wearing the hijab, insinuating anything else is just conjecture on your part.
To allow the hijab would give an unfair adsvantage. When opponents are facing off it is extremely important to be able to see the entire face in order to gauge when an attack is immenent. Besides she knew the rules when she entered the sport.
Sikhs should be able to wear turbans; Nuns, habits; Scots, kilts. Zulus; the possiblities are endless. These are secular events, with rules based on years of experience in disciplines like Judo that are universally accepted for good reasons. Pure rubbish that the politically correct are more than already twitching over.
Saudi's have an olympic team...? huh...
It seems like alot of you are mistaken about what hijab is...there is most definitely a way that this can be worked out. She simply needs to cover her hair, and a simple tight bandana would do the job. Hijab is a way of life for this woman, and to simply say she is not allowed to wear it, especially at an event watched all over the world, is not acceptable. I am really outraged by the amount of ignorance and disrespect shown in these comments.
Do Saudi Arabia and many other Muslim nations permit skirt?
Does Saudi Arabia permit Bibles, Churches and religious places of other non-Muslims?
If the answers are no, then NO hijab/niqab and Salaffi, Wahhabi mosques in all non-Muslim nations.
In addition, these days Islamic militants are using suicide bombers wearing hijab/niqab and children all over the world.
They have become security threats to non-Muslims.
Even in Muslim nations like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, the suicide bombings wearing hijab/niqab have become common.
If non-Muslims see some in hijab/burqa, they become scarred.
There can't be special one-way street for Sunni Saudi bigots.
If Saudis are permitted, Olympics should have too many one-way streets.
I got it!
Body Paint!
Bazinga!
Maybe, but then she would have to shave her pits.
We must be inclusive and respect all cultures.
All cultures don't think like we do.
Of course if some of us think they are intolerant that @!$%# flies out the window.
I wonder if they support the boycott of Chik-Fila? hee,hee.
The Olympics has it's own set of Rules. All Nations can choose to follow them or not. This really is not a U.S. issue. It's the Olympic Committees issue. Do you think the same sentiment of support would be here if it were the Israeli delegation???
follow the rules llike the rest of the world--------
If Saudi Arabia wants to withdraw from Olympics, they should be permtted to get out. Not many want them any way!
When most don't care for religion much these days, followers of Islamic cult, especially Sunni Saudi inspired Islamic radicals and militants (al-Qaida, Salaffi, Wahhabi, MB, Taliban, and other label ones), are fast marching backwards to their seventh century desert tribal days.
They are indulging in rapings, lootings, killings and genocides of non-Muslims (Darfur, S. Sudan, Nigeria and spreading like wild fire in many regions and Muslims (Mali, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other places.
Sunni Saudi backed Salaffi and MB new chapters are opening up in Egypt. Just watch the fate of Christians, women and Israel as the time goes by.
We see Muslims inventing problems in most of the non-Muslim nations.
It better for the world to wake up from the dangers of Sunni Saudi and Paki Islamofascists' threats before it is too late.
They are the biggest enemies even to the moderate Muslims and other followers of Islam like Shiites, Ahmedias, Sufis and others.
Look at how they are killing Shiites in Bahrain, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other places.
"Olympic and Saudi Arabian officials are in talks with judo chiefs to find a solution..."
There is no need for a solution, and no need for anyone to continue to respect bronze-age religious rules. In all other fields of human endeavor, respect must be earned.
Just a pissing contest instead of a sport's contest. SA is just waisting the world's tiime trying to change the rules.
Their participants would lose anyhow.
The choice to wear a hijab is a betrayal of every woman in the world who is forced to wear one. The sight of a woman wearing a hijab encourages those who commit violence against those who don't or who otherwise seek to rise above the lack of enlightenment within the culture into which they happened to have been born.
There should be nothing to argue about. Just disqualify the woman, and move on. I am not interested in the Sharia compliant sporting events. If this woman is somehow qualified under pressure, the other participants should withdraw in protest. This has to stop somewhere. The burka babes have already screwed up volleyball with this nonsense.
I think it is fantastic that Saudi women are finally allowed to compete in the Olympics. Why should she be disqualified? They should allow her headscarf. You never know what kind of awful backlash she would receive in her home country.
I also think it is hilarious that a bunch of backwoods Americans who can't spell anything correctly are berating a woman that they don't know from one of the world's most oppressive nations.
Why is this small bit of clothing an issue? It does not provide an advantage over the other competitors. Keep in mind that in the original Olympics, all competitors were totally naked.
The Olympics is a worldwide competition of sports. Not politics. Not religion. Whoever wants to participate should follow Olympic rules. If a nation cannot comply, do not compete.
I've heard she has also asked if she could be allowed to carry and AK47 during the match, and judging from the look of her - she might need it.
I heard that she also asked if she could carry an AK47 during the match.