Muslim athlete disqualified over uniform

[sandinista! 1,816]

focking hell...whats w the America land of the free comment and the our freedoms are gonna be gone comment? this is a school issue...hey, ya can't chew gum in some schoolsl...that doesn't mean ya can't chew gum in America.

THANK GOD this happened in America...where she has recourse to protest! I don't agree at all with the choice...BUT did u know that swimmers practice and don't shave their bodies...then when the meet comes, they shave their whole bodies...in efforts to minimize 'drag' in the water. dunno if her good performance has raised questions about the bodysuit...i can't really imagine that this is a color of the suit issue...but I hope it gets resolved!

i can't seem to find where gum is covered in the bill of rights-perhaps you can direct me to it.

thank God this happened in America? this is ridiculous that this happened in America, that an American has to fight for something that is supposed to be an automatic given here. over ten years ago, the secretary of the united states dept. of education released a statement detailing religious activities and expression in american public schools that all students have the right to. on clothing-

"Student garb: Students may display religious messages on items of clothing to the same extent that they are permitted to display other comparable messages. Religious messages may not be singled out for suppression, but rather are subject to the same rules as generally apply to comparable messages. When wearing particular attire, such as yarmulkes and head scarves, during the school day is part of students' religious practice, under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act schools generally may not prohibit the wearing of such items." http://www.ed.gov/Speeches/08-1995/religion.html

it's not like these are obscure guidelines.

[kerewin21 2]

If you read the article carefully, I don't think it's the fact that she's covered that's the problem. They say she wears a blue and orange unitard, and apparently the rules say she has to wear only one color. The issue isn't that it's giving her an edge, it's that they don't allow multicolored uniforms and logos. I think there's more to this story.

[almaty 19]

If you read the article carefully, I don't think it's the fact that she's covered that's the problem. They say she wears a blue and orange unitard, and apparently the rules say she has to wear only one color. The issue isn't that it's giving her an edge, it's that they don't allow multicolored uniforms and logos. I think there's more to this story.

i agree sister..she is good and one of the best in the city...

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

They wouldn't let me carry a 10 ft crucifix when I played football in high school.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

They wouldn't let me carry a 10 ft crucifix when I played football in high school.

Why would you?

[Peikko 1,575]

He probably thought it would be performance enhancing

[one...two...tree 2,762]

He probably thought it would be performance enhancing

LOL

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

He probably thought it would be performance enhancing

LOL

1. it has the power of god.

2. you can beat the other team with it

[Fandango 1,439]

focking hell...whats w the America land of the free comment and the our freedoms are gonna be gone comment? this is a school issue...hey, ya can't chew gum in some schoolsl...that doesn't mean ya can't chew gum in America.

THANK GOD this happened in America...where she has recourse to protest! I don't agree at all with the choice...BUT did u know that swimmers practice and don't shave their bodies...then when the meet comes, they shave their whole bodies...in efforts to minimize 'drag' in the water. dunno if her good performance has raised questions about the bodysuit...i can't really imagine that this is a color of the suit issue...but I hope it gets resolved!

i can't seem to find where gum is covered in the bill of rights-perhaps you can direct me to it.

thank God this happened in America? this is ridiculous that this happened in America, that an American has to fight for something that is supposed to be an automatic given here. over ten years ago, the secretary of the united states dept. of education released a statement detailing religious activities and expression in american public schools that all students have the right to. on clothing-

"Student garb: Students may display religious messages on items of clothing to the same extent that they are permitted to display other comparable messages. Religious messages may not be singled out for suppression, but rather are subject to the same rules as generally apply to comparable messages. When wearing particular attire, such as yarmulkes and head scarves, during the school day is part of students' religious practice, under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act schools generally may not prohibit the wearing of such items." http://www.ed.gov/Speeches/08-1995/religion.html

it's not like these are obscure guidelines.

Yes, absolutely thank God it happened in America. God knows what her recourse would be in other countries!

I think the color issue is a ridiculous one...and if that's the case that it truly is a color issue and not a bodysuit issue, then unless those colors are considered holy by her, this is not a religious issue.

[Peikko 1,575]

If you watch the clip, the kid concerned comes across as disarmingly charming. I don't know if it's about the orange undersuit or not. If it is, it is ridiculous and I for one was left feeling that if the officials knew what she was going to wear and chose not to tell her that she couldn't wear it until just before the race, something a bit snarky was going on. Of course, here, we only have that side of the coin.

[natty bumppo 297]

Humm ... bought officials ... maybe ???

[Nagishkaw 510]

I think you may be on to something there, Bumpy.

[almaty 19]

having palyed in high school sports and having a son that did too..most officials are local people.when my team palyed on the road against another team, that team was responsible for providing the officials.......so, maybe a bias there..

[slim 1,525]

There was a similar case of a girl in Canada being disqualified from a soccer match because she refused to remove a headscarf.

Think it's a religious thing?

The ref was also of the same religion and cited the rule book, not the "Rule Book."

I never heard what the outcome was but the team walked out in protest and disputed the entire match. (Was on NPR a few months back. Maybe someone handy with the search could find it.)

The whole issue of sports participants competing in and/or being disqualified from an event based on a "silly rule" is actually not that silly. And it has nothing to do with the Constitution. Rule books for most organized sports, especially school sports, are designed to keep it fair for everyone and thus improve the overall experience of all involved parties.

Bending this rule or that rule ensures compliance and enforcement down the road will no longer be subject to "the rules" but more to "how this official or that official" sees it. Now that you can compare to the Constitution because we're definitely on the path to losing all of our rights, right now, by "bending" a few of them. 4th Amendment, anyone? Nah, we don't need that one anymore.

Before you know it, your right to wear a unitard in public to comply with your religious beliefs will be gone too. Seems crazy, but just think about it. How easy is it to take away the rest of your rights once you've given up some of them voluntarily?

[Peikko 1,575]

I agree, I think that adhering to a set of rules is important. However, in this instance, why leave it until that particular event, and just before the event to make the ruling? If indeed that is what happened.

I still think the athlete herself is charming and I hope it all gets settled so that she can go back to doing what she excels at, namely running.