Quebec vs Turbans and Soccer

[Guest Derek L]

Like the title says, and I'm sure most are aware of:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/06/12/f-vp-gagnon-quebec-soccer-turbans.html

Since assuming office last fall, Quebec's Pauline Marois and her minority government have been taken to task repeatedly for improvising and backtracking on some pretty big issues.

Their missteps have even made international headlines. First, last winter, when Quebec language police found "too much Italian" in an Italian restaurant menu, and now with the ban on turbans on Quebec soccer fields.

The debate began earlier this month when the Quebec Soccer Federation, the association responsible for organized leagues of all ages, banned Sikh headwear from its competitions.

The association cited safety concerns as its rather dubious justification; no dangers are known and none proven.

QSF director Brigitte Frot followed up with the suggestion that players left on the sidelines for sporting the headwear could play among themselves in their own backyards, adding, somewhat officiously, without the assistance of any official referees.

Safety concern for children playing soccer……..I call bull$H*T, as does FIFA:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2013/06/14/sp-soccer-canadian-soccer-association-quebec-turban-ban.html

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) said in a statement it is temporarily authorizing the wearing of male head covers at all levels of Canadian soccer. It is effectively applying a 2012 ruling that allowed specially designed hijabs for women.

Both Soccer Quebec’s reaction and that of the PQ Government is simply disgusting and reeks of pure unadulterated bigotry…….To the point of National embarrassment.

One would think we were past the public persecution of Sikhs, what with allowances made to serving members in the RCMP (and other police forces), motorbike riders and former veterans that wanted to join the Royal Canadian Legion……..These above examples, other than the Legion, one could make a case on safety grounds (I suppose), but playing Soccer? I think not.....

I hope Quebec Sikhs make a huge stink a bring this before the CHRT…

[PhilosopherKing]

Quebecers are proud to be bigots. It's part of what makes them 'unique' after all. A 'provincial' people whose ethnic dress ought to be white sheets.

[cybercoma]

Quebeckers? All of them?

[GostHacked]

It was automatically a really stupid thing to ban the turban while allowing the hijab. As both could pose a risk to head injury when on the field. One was allowed the other not.

it was pretty dumb to ban the turban.

[cybercoma]

both could pose a risk to head injury when on the field

Not according to FIFA. And Quebec lifted its ban now.

[The_Squid]

If it is good enough for FIFA, it should be good enough for Quebec's governing body. Just follow FIFA rules, whatever they may be, since I'm sure they've put some thought into it.... More so than some idiot Quebec politician, clearly.

[GostHacked]

Not according to FIFA. And Quebec lifted its ban now.

There is a risk to head injury if you wear headgear or not. Get hit in the head, fall on your head, that kind of thing. That was the point I was trying to make.

[cybercoma]

There is a risk to head injury if you wear headgear or not. Get hit in the head, fall on your head, that kind of thing. That was the point I was trying to make.

Your post read as though you were saying both the hijab and turban could cause head injury in soccer. I assumed you meant ceteris paribus, not that it doesn't matter if you were them or not because you're at equal risk.

[GostHacked]

Your post read as though you were saying both the hijab and turban could cause head injury in soccer. I assumed you meant ceteris paribus, not that it doesn't matter if you were them or not because you're at equal risk.

There is a risk, but it seems quite low. It was dumb to ban the turban but allow the hijab because the risk is the same. But it's the same risk that everyone on the field is under as soon as the game starts.

I'll just chalk this up to Quebec being difficult about things as usual.

[cybercoma]

So Occam's Razor, the turban and hijab having nothing to do with anything.