By Mark Baber
June 17 – A dispute in French-speaking Quebec over whether to allow male footballers to wear turbans appears to have been resolved after Fifa clarified the rules and the suspension of Quebec from the Canadian Soccer Association was lifted.
Last week the Quebec Soccer Federation was suspended by the national federation after failing to reverse its decision to ban the use of Sikh head coverings.
Despite a widespread outcry over the ban, Quebec Premier Pauline Marois maintained that the CSA had no business meddling in Quebec’s affairs.
But in its ruling, FIFA confirmed that men’s headwear was permitted as long as it met safety standards, was the same colour as the rest of a player’s uniform and did not pose any danger. The rules applied “in all areas and on all levels of the Canadian football community,” FIFA said.
That demolished one of the Quebec group’s two arguments, in other words that turbans were a safety risk, forcing a climbdown by the QSF which stated that it welcomed Fifa’s clarification “with enthusiasm and relief.”
“Since the start of the dispute, the Quebec Soccer Federation sought a clear position from FIFA on the subject, which we didn’t have until this statement,” the QSF said.
FIFA’s declaration was welcomed by Prem Singh Vinning, president of the World Sikh Organization,who told CTV: “It’s great news, but we’ve been always clear that we really didn’t need FIFA to tell us from Switzerland that our children can play soccer in Quebec or anywhere in this country.”
Balpreet Singh, spokesman for the World Sikh Organization of Canada, said the QSF’s decision was “long overdue.”
Despite the reversal, young Sikhs across Quebec have missed the deadline to register for the 2013 season. On this issue QSF spokesman Michel Dugas said: “If we all act in good faith then we can solve the problem.”
Whilst QSF’s executive committee unanimously agreed to comply with Fifa rules, Brigitte Frot, QSF executive director said she “especially” wanted to apologise for saying that religiously observant Sikhs who wished to wear the turban can “play in their backyard”, a remark that was transmitted across the globe.
According to Frot, “I regret (saying it). English is not my first language and I was trying to find a nicer word for ‘park.’ Honestly, it wasvery very involuntary.”