The world soccer governing body, FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football), could hardly be accused of being progressive when it comes to certain issues. In March, for example, the lords of "futbol" decreed that while it was expressly NOT OK to play a men's World Cup qualifying game on artificial turf (hence the use of a poor, temporary grass field over the artificial surface for the recent U.S.-Panama World Cup qualifier in Seattle), it was fine for the 2015 Women's World Cup final to be played on the Polytan artificial turf of B.C. Place Stadium. Some leading women's players, most notably U.S. striker Abby Wambach, were quick to tweet about the obvious double standard.
In 2004, Sepp Blatter, the old boy who remains FIFA president this far into the 21st century, said he thought the women's game would be more successful at attracting fans if the players wore "tighter shorts." Such a move, he said, would promote "a more female aesthetic" in the game. He wasn't kidding.
Just last year, FIFA named a men's World Player of the Year (Lionel Messi) and one for the women (Wambach). It also took great pains to publicize its "Dream 11" team of the world's top male players. Where was the women's Dream 11? Beats us.
So it was a pleasant surprise when FIFA did the right thing last week and decreed that the wearing of turbans and other religious head coverings during matches as long as they posed no safety hazard to others. That appears to have resolved a long-running spat between the Quebec Soccer Federation and the Canadian Soccer Association over Quebec officials' ban on the traditional Sikh head coverings.
It seems ridiculous, in fact, that the QSF imposed the ban in the first place. Youngsters wear toques and headbands on the pitch all the time - as long as they're soft and provide no competitive advantage, why not turbans? Interestingly, political leaders in la belle province even weighed in - Premier Pauline Marois said she found it "unacceptable" that the CSA had suspended the QSF over the issue. But then, there's hay to be made defending "your" group against the big, bad "national" group, especially when you're a separatist leader. The Canadian Press reported that "some sovereigntists have even used the case as an argument for Quebec independence."
Sigh. To this writer, the issue is a no-brainer and we can't move past it soon enough.
- David Burke
