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[ChiTownBuffalo]

Saudi judoka to withdraw if hijab banned.

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - A female Saudi Arabian judo competitor, one of the first two female athletes sent to the Olympics by the conservative kingdom, will withdraw if she is not allowed to wear her hijab or headscarf, during bouts, her father was quoted as saying.

Wojdan Shaherkani is due to compete in the +78kg judo category on Friday. A Saudi official said earlier this month its female athletes would have to obey Islamic dress codes.

But last week, International Judo Federation (IJF) president Marius Vizer said Shaherkani would have to fight without a headscarf to comply with "the principle and spirit of judo".

Sunday's edition of Saudi Arabia's al-Watan newspaper quoted the father, Ali Shaherkani, as saying over the telephone from Britain that his daughter "will not compete in the Judo Games on August 3 if the committee insists that she removes her hijab".

He was quoted as telling al-Watan he had not heard back from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on the matter.

The IJF, whose regulations for the Olympic Games state no headgear can be worn, was in regular discussions with Olympic and Saudi officials to find a solution, IJF spokesman Nicolas Messner said.

He said the hijab was banned for safety reasons, as judo fighters can try to strangle each other using their judogi or kit. While using a hijab to do this would be illegal it could happen by mistake during a move.

"It can be dangerous," Messner said. "It could happen during a move, something wrong could happen."

Female participation in sports has long been a controversial issue in Saudi Arabia, where conservative Muslim clerics have said it is immodest and goes against women's nature.

Until this year, Saudi Arabia was one of three countries, alongside Brunei and Qatar, never to have sent female athletes to the Olympics. Human rights groups urged the IOC to ban the countries from the Games unless they agreed to send women.

Saudi Arabia reached an agreement on the participation of Shaherkhani and Sarah Attar, an 800 meter runner, just two weeks ago after talks with the IOC.

I guess, my only issue is that she is a judo blue belt. And her first opponent is a multiple Pan-Am Games medalist. She's going to get crushed.

 

[Steelrain]

Let her withdraw then.

 

[Keylime]

"Something that would have been good to have told me YESTERDAY!!!"

Smells like a publicity stunt...after being allowed to go, suddenly now it's a "hijab or bust?!"

 

[Escape Goat]

Shouldn't they be aware of regulations before sending people to compete? No headgear seems to be stated pretty clearly. This isn't a freedom of expression issue, its a sports regulation.

 

[SmokyDave]

Do we know how she feels about this or is that irrelevant?

Seems daft to expect a headscarf to be allowed in Judo. Withdraw.

 

[shinobi602]

A piece of clothing on her head violates the "spirit of judo"? Really?

 

[daycru]

Cool, go home.

 

[CrocMother]

Regardless of the athlete's opinion she doesn't really have a choice. If she takes it off she wouldn't be able to go back home.

 

[Napoleonthechimp]

Let her withdraw then.

This.

Also: understandable from a health and safety perspective. Let her leave.

 

[StrangeADT]

Saudi judoka to withdraw if hijab banned.




I guess, my only issue is that she is a judo blue belt. And her first opponent is a multiple Pan-Am Games medalist. She's going to get crushed.

Yea, not sure I would take it off to get wooped so badly either. LOL

 

[SquiddyCracker]

I doubt that she will be in trouble if she withdraws, so I don't see the problem here.

 

[giga]

The IJF, whose regulations for the Olympic Games state no headgear can be worn, was in regular discussions with Olympic and Saudi officials to find a solution, IJF spokesman Nicolas Messner said.

He said the hijab was banned for safety reasons, as judo fighters can try to strangle each other using their judogi or kit. While using a hijab to do this would be illegal it could happen by mistake during a move.

"It can be dangerous," Messner said. "It could happen during a move, something wrong could happen."

Seems clear.

 

[womfalcs3]

Regardless of the athlete's opinion she doesn't really have a choice. If she takes it off she wouldn't be able to go back home.

That's inaccurate. She would be able to without trouble. I live in Saudi.


Anyway, good for her. She stands by her convictions and I applaud her. Can't say that for many people.

 

[grumble]

If she was throwing the javelin I'd have no issue, but she is competing in a combat sport where wearing it is dangerous. She should withdraw if she feels that strongly about it.

Frankly, the Olympics isn't a place to make religious statements.

 

[ChiTownBuffalo]

A piece of clothing on her head violates the "spirit of judo"? Really?

OK, they have "sport hijabs." I have seen them in taekwondo competition before.

But even these I can see coming off during a judo match.

In taekwondo, they are secured under a helmet, which makes it harder to come off

 

[Hindle]

Go home then. Its for her own safety isn't it? If she wants to put her life at risk by wearing that thing during a fight then so be it.

 

[Keylime]

That's inaccurate. She would be able to without trouble. I live in Saudi.


Anyway, good for her. She stands by her convictions and I applaud her. Can't say that for many people.

The article reads like her father if forcing her to do it vs. her own choice. No clue if that's true or not...but it seems like the rules are extremely clear that this isn't allowed, so it just comes off as stupid.

 

[SmokyDave]

That's inaccurate. She would be able to without trouble. I live in Saudi.


Anyway, good for her. She stands by her convictions and I applaud her. Can't say that for many people.

Does she? I'm not seeing any mention of how she feels about it, only her father.

 

[marrec]

That's inaccurate. She would be able to without trouble. I live in Saudi.


Anyway, good for her. She stands by her convictions and I applaud her. Can't say that for many people.

Well we don't actually know where she stands do we?

 

[Carbonox]

The rules are clear for the sport - if she has issues, she should withdraw.

 

[shinobi602]

If she was throwing the javelin I'd have no issue, but she is competing in a combat sport where wearing it is dangerous. She should withdraw if she feels that strongly about it.

Frankly, the Olympics isn't a place to make religious statements.

She's not trying to convert anybody, it's part of their dress code.

 

[Opus Angelorum]

A piece of clothing on her head violates the "spirit of judo"? Really?

It violates the rules, end of story.

 

[Napoleonthechimp]

Head coverings are a cultural relic rather than a religious one, which is why I've never had any respect for it.

 

[RoboPlato]

The quote is from her father, not her. That's truly depressing if he forces her to withdraw and she doesn't want to.

 

[EviLore]

I guess, my only issue is that she is a judo blue belt. And her first opponent is a multiple Pan-Am Games medalist. She's going to get crushed.

She's competing in the olympics and she's not even 1st dan?


...

 

[shinobi602]

OK, they have "sport hijabs." I have seen them in taekwondo competition.

But even these I can see coming off during a judo match.

I guess I just can't see how it would affect a match really..then again I'm a practical man lol

 

[planar1280]

Something tells me saudi arabia knew of the rules and it sent the female athlete full well knowing that they can showcase her during opening ceremony as an example of freedom for women but she wont need to fight as the rules clearly state you cant without the head scarf.

 

[marrec]

Something tells me saudi arabia knew of the rules and it sent the female athlete full well knowing that they can showcase her during opening ceremony as an example of freedom for women but she wont need to fight as the rules clearly state you cant without the head scarf.

Whhaaaaat? No way, they wouldn't exploit a female athlete like that!

 

[Keylime]

Something tells me saudi arabia knew of the rules and it sent the female athlete full well knowing that they can showcase her during opening ceremony as an example of freedom for women but she wont need to fight as the rules clearly state you cant without the head scarf.

Sounds about right.

 

[SquiddyCracker]

Does she? I'm not seeing any mention of how she feels about it, only her father.

Yeah, I suspect she doesn't really have much say in this.

 

[ChiTownBuffalo]

She's competing in the olympics and she's not even 1st dan?


...

Nope. She got a waiver from the IOC because they wanted Saudi to send female athletes
Heck, Iran has a better track record of female athletes.

I guess I just can't see how it would affect a match really..then again I'm a practical man lol

When she gets tossed, there is potential for her to be choked if her hijab gets caught up. Or for it to be incidentally grabbed.

 

[x-Lundz-x]

Ok, you can go home then. There are rules you have to follow.

 

[spiderman123]

Judo Code

 

[shinobi602]

Head coverings are a cultural relic rather than a religious one, which is why I've never had any respect for it.

According to some Muslim friends of mine it's a religious requirement. You might be confusing the regular head scarf with a full on burqa that covers the face too, which is indeed a cultural thing.

 

[F#A#Oo]

The sports hijab has been worn in other competitions in this Olympics...for example by Ibtihaj Muhammad of the USA who's a fencer and then there is the womens Iranian football team...

The IOC needs to decide at the end of the day but as far as muslim women atheletes they all travelled with the intention of wearing a hijab...

 

[Napoleonthechimp]

According to some Muslim friends of mine it's a religious requirement. You might be confusing the regular head scarf with a full on burqa that covers the face too.

It exists across multiple religions, all of which originate in the middle east. Easiest example: Christian nuns. If it was a specific religious mandate then surely every Muslim woman would wear one, but they don't.

 

[paskowitz]

She's competing in the olympics and she's not even 1st dan?


...

If Tekken is anything to go by, she should probably just withdraw.

 

[astroturfing]

if head garments arent allowed during a sport then they arent allowed.

should be as simple as that.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

I guess I just can't see how it would affect a match really..then again I'm a practical man lol

You can't see how a removable piece of clothing that could obscure vision and breathing could become dislodged during a martial arts match centered around grabbing and flipping your opponent?

 

[giga]

The sports hijab has been worn in other competitions in this Olympics...for example by Ibtihaj Muhammad of the USA who's a fencer and then there is the womens Iranian football team...

The IOC needs to decide at the end of the day but as far as muslim women atheletes they all travelled with the intention of wearing a hijab...

Fencing and football is very different from Judo.

 

[Cheesemeister]

Doing whatever it takes to win, I see.

 

[spiderman123]

The hijab can be used to strangle. It stated clearly in the article.

 

[phosphor112]

Nope. She got a waiver from the IOC because they wanted Saudi to send female athletes
Heck, Iran has a better track record of female athletes.



When she gets tossed, there is potential for her to be choked if her hijab gets caught up. Or for it to be incidentally grabbed.

I like how people always assume Iran is bad in the human rights department when they are exponentially better than one of the US's biggest allies, Saudi Arabia.

 

[shinobi602]

It exists across multiple religions, all of which originate in the middle east. Easiest example: Christian nuns. If it was a specific religious mandate then surely every Muslim woman would wear one, but they don't.

Huh? That's a naive argument. It's also a requirement that Christians marry before having sex. I guess every self professed Christian follows that?

Some Muslims practice their religion fully, others don't.

 

[F#A#Oo]

It exists across multiple religions, all of which originate in the middle east. Easiest example: Christian nuns. If it was a specific religious mandate then surely every Muslim woman would wear one, but they don't.

No muslim follows scripture to the the nth degree...covering is required though but some choose not to...

 

[Dark Octave]

When in Rome.

 

[Monocle]

This story gives off a faint whiff of the theatrical. The regulations are reasonable. If an athlete objects to them, withdrawal is the right option.

 

[shinobi602]

You can't see how a removable piece of clothing that could obscure vision and breathing could become dislodged during a martial arts match centered around grabbing and flipping your opponent?

If it's similar to that pic Chitown posted, no I can't see how that could do all that.

 

[Utako]

Once again, Islamic traditions around women are just incompatible with the rest of the world.

 

[Keylime]

Huh? That's a naive argument. It's also a requirement that Christians marry before having sex. I guess every self professed Christian follows that?

Some Muslims practice their religiob fully, others don't.

Are you seriously trying to make the argument that she should be allowed to violate the clearly understood rules of her sport because of some religious custom she follows?

Just trying to understand if you have a valid point to make as it relates to this story (which is black and white) vs. just the concept of wearing a hijab in general.