Football officials lift ban on headscarves for women Muslim players

ZURICH – Football’s rules-making approved headscarves for Muslim women players on Thursday, reversing a ban on the Islamic hijab that was enforced in FIFA competitions for five years.

The panel, known as IFAB, gave its approval to the headscarves after FIFA’s medical committee concluded that two scarf designs submitted to its experts do not threaten female players’ safety.

The laws of football prohibit equipment that is dangerous or makes religious statements and headscarves have been banned on the football field since 2007.

FIFA vice-president Prince Ali of Jordan led a year-long campaign to overturn the ban, and allow observant Muslim women — or female players, who live in countries that make headscarves mandatory for women to wear in public — to play the game.

Last year, Iran forfeited London Olympics qualifiers because the team’s players were not allowed to play with headscarves.

The two designs use approved Thursday use quick-release velcro fasteners and light magnets, respectively.