The History Of The Hijab In Women's Football

FIFA first banned the hijab in 2007 and released the ban in 2014. FIFA's original reason for not allowing the hijab was religious symbolism, but that would mean also banning religious tattoos, the signing of the cross and multiple goal celebrations made a lot by prominent male players. Because of this they used health and safety as a reason for banning the hijab saying that the hijab was unsafe.

Asmahan Mansour was Canadian. It was 2007 when she stepped onto the football pitch in Laval. She wore a hijab because of her Islamic faith but the referee said it was unsafe and told her she could still play but she couldn't wear her hijab on the pitch. Her team, from Ottawa withdrew from the event and did not play that match. Mansour went to the Canadian Soccer Association but they agreed with the rule and so did the FIFA officials. 

In 2011, the Iranian women's football team were facing Jordan in the Olympic qualifiers but they were banned from playing because of their hijabs. The hijabs were supposed to meet FIFA standards but according to the referee they didn't and the women left the pitch. This spurred on many people to take action including Moya Dodd from the Asian Football Confederation, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, who was then the vice-president of FIFA and head of the Jordanian Football Association and Assmaah Helal player and activist. Find out more about Assmaah Helal below. 

Assmaah Helal is from Western Sydney. She was introduced to football at a young age but it wasn't always easy. A girl playing football was frowned upon in her community. Helal said "I used to just get told I was a tomboy. In my culture, to play with the guys and to mix with guys was seen as not appropriate". In 2012 Helal was playing in the Super League and said that playing for Australia would be her dream. Unfortunately, due to the ban she wouldn't be allowed to play as she wore a hijab. Assmaah Helal says "I strongly believe that the ban is just outright discrimination". She describes the hijab as "A part of a Muslim woman's identity which cannot be changed". 

Nouhaila Benzina was born on the 11th of May 1998. She is a Moroccan football player who plays as a defender for AS FAR and the Moroccan Women's National Football Team. She is also the first player to wear a hijab at a Senior Women's World Cup. She wore it playing against South Korea and Morocco won 1-0. This was Morocco's first ever victory at the FIFA Women's World Cup.

The rights of women wearing the hijab have come very far but we've still got a long way to go. This year is the Olympics in France. But there is a French Football Federation rule banning women who wear a headscarf from playing in competitive football matches. As well as that athletes aren't allowed to wear hijabs while competing in the Olympics and Para-Olympic games. 

As a Christian I've never experienced discrimination for wearing a hijab but I can imagine how devastating it would be to not be able to do something you love because of your beliefs and religion. We've come so far but we still need to take action and make sure sport is something everyone is able to do.  

As an article in The Guardian said: 'Football is for all of us. Sometimes it just takes women to prove it'.