The Quebec Soccer Federation's Ban on Turbans

[Richard Hakluyt]

In the days of the old heavy ball wearing a turban might have been an advantage for taking headers 

I can imagine a ban on hard head coverings being legit as they might assist headers; the standard Sikh turban would surely be a disadvantage though, making it more difficult to head the ball effectively.

[Barrister]

Sorry to be the one to tell you this G, but after two referendums, you and I do in fact live in the same country...

No we don't.  And therein lies the Canadian problem. 

But then again I've been saying this for years - Canada as a country is a fraud - founded on denial.  The anglophone majority willfully denies that the francophone majority in Quebec is anything more than a minority.  I understand the psychological mechanisms behind it all.  It doesn't make it any less illegitimate though. 

And the results of the previous referendums doesnt invalidate my point.  The question was never 'Are Quebecers a separate people?'; we know we are a separate people - the question was: 'Should this separate people' remove itself from the 'Canadian Federation' ?

Cut the crap, G.  I didn't say anything about 'peoples', 'nations', 'societies', or 'cultures'.

I said we live in the same country.  And we do.  A point which is so obviously true I don't even know how to argue it.

[Iormlund]

A turban might also make heat dissipation harder, which is a pretty big disadvantage as most competitive tourneys are held during Summer.

In any case a quick search of Youtube shows most players in a couple Sikh tournaments wearing nothing on their heads. A few wear a simple scarf covering their hair and that's it. So this seems a pretty stupid controversy. The motorcycle/helmet issue had a lot more meat.



PS. I can actually understand where Grallon is coming from. But that's probably a matter of perspective. It wasn't that long ago that what the Church said was law. And even now they affect everyone's lives (Populares are about to turn the clock back 40 years on abortion for example). So I am uncomfortable, to say the least, with bending laws/rules to placate any religion.

[Josephus]

I'm curious on turbans. Surely the could lead to a slight unfair advantage? Made of certain material it could aid with heading the ball, if its big enough it will give you extra reach for knock ons, etc...

No more than an afro. It's not made of leather you know.

[crazy canuck]

A turban might also make heat dissipation harder, which is a pretty big disadvantage as most competitive tourneys are held during Summer.

In any case a quick search of Youtube shows most players in a couple Sikh tournaments wearing nothing on their heads. A few wear a simple scarf covering their hair and that's it. So this seems a pretty stupid controversy. The motorcycle/helmet issue had a lot more meat.

A quick search of Youtube shows that most Christians dont attend church every week.

Not sure what, if anything, that proves other than there are varying degrees to which religious doctrine is observed in any faith.  For those who believe that wearing a turban is an integral part of their faith it is indeed stupid that a soccer federation would require them to take off the turban to play.

[Iormlund]

What abut the other Ks? Bracelets are probably banned, hair-combs I don't know. Knives without question. Why is then the turban so important? Observant Sikhs won't be able to play anyway.

[Neil]

Why are we still having this discussion?  FIFA clarified the rule and Quebec backed down.  And we all know why Quebec, and only Quebec interpreted it that way:  They're a bunch of backwards xenophobes.

[viper37]

It's not Quebec's ban it's FIFA's ban.

Wow!

Is that the spin this is getting in your Province.  It is utter Bullshit.  The FIFA rule gives refs the discretion to remove unsafe headgear.  There is no FIFA ban on turbans.  In fact once FIFA learned the Quebec association was using the FIFA rule as a justification this happened:

FIFA authorizes wearing of turbans at all levels of Canadian soccer

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/fifa-authorizes-wearing-of-turbans-at-all-levels-of-canadian-soccer/article12550476/

I understand the Quebec association has now backed down.  The premier now looks really stupid for backing this right - or is that just when opposition parties try to protect minority rights 

BC went through the same thing in 2005, nobody said a word then.  The decision was over-ruled after a while.

The FIFA banned anything on the head, except the burka specifically allowed.  Then the FIFA specifically allowed the turban and the Quebec federation allowed it.
Tempest in a tea pot, a good time as any for candian media to practice their favourite sport of Quebec bashing.

EDIT: correction, not just canadian medias but canadians as well it seems.

[viper37]

And because will deny it:
http://bcsikhs.com/williams-lake-players-targeted-at-langley-soccer-tournament/

I don't think I've seen anyone playing with a turban during soccer tournaments, be it world cup or olympics. 

I'm also waiting for Neil and CC to call punjabi backwater xenophobes:
http://www.punjabfootball.com/
No turban here.

[Josephus]

A quick search of Youtube shows that most Christians dont attend church every week.

Really? You found that on youtube. Link?

[Josephus]

What abut the other Ks? Bracelets are probably banned, hair-combs I don't know. Knives without question. Why is then the turban so important? Observant Sikhs won't be able to play anyway.

FWIW, catholics can't have thier gold jesus on a cross bling either. But that's an obvious safety issue.

[Neil]

I'm also waiting for Neil and CC to call punjabi backwater xenophobes:
http://www.punjabfootball.com/
No turban here.

So you figure that Quebec isn't a bunch of backwards xenophobes because a bunch of third-worlders, a group known for backwardness and xenophobia, adopt the same policies that you guys do?

[HVC]

I'm also waiting for Neil and CC to call punjabi backwater xenophobes:
http://www.punjabfootball.com/
No turban here.

So you figure that Quebec isn't a bunch of backwards xenophobes because a bunch of third-worlders, a group known for backwardness and xenophobia, adopt the same policies that you guys do?

at least he didn't source the KKK

[Grallon]

I think it is worth translating part of a column by Pierre Foglia published in La Presse this morning.  It shows exactly what our Canadian neighbors are about on this question.


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State Religion



"... What was I telling you two weeks ago?  I was telling you : "Come now, stop crying, the Sikhs will soon be able to play with that thing on the head and, of course, they won't play at all.  Or so little."

Why was I telling you that?  First of all because Sikhs play soccer about as much as people in Senegal play curling.  I exaggerate, but not that much.  Above all I was saying the other day: "I'm not so sure this story has much to do with soccer."  So what's it about?

It's about Canada of course.  This story is so, but so Canadian, and it illustrate the very specific nature of Canadian multiculturalism, specific in that it is practiced as a combat sport.

Here's an example to make my point.  During the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, four players of the Canadian field hockey team, all of Sikh origins, paraded with their turban.

No, no it doesn't upset me.  Not at all.  In fact I didn't even notice.  And if I had I wouldn't have blown a fuse. ...  What annoys me is elsewhere.  The article (dated August 6th 2008) that some of my readers sent me, mentioned that four players of the Canadian team, WHO DON'T WEAR TURBANS IN THEIR DAILY LIFE - and didn't have any intention of ever wearing it - would do so for the opening ceremony.  Why?  The journalist asked, since the were not wearing it anyway?  The answer: "I want to show I can wear a turban and still be Canadian."

Did I say multiculturalism as a combat sport?  It's much more: it's a state religion.  What we must realize, to understand the demented country we live in, is that the religious reasons invoked to exempt and accommodate immigrants, and notably to allow Sikhs to play soccer with their turbans, refer first and foremost to the official religion of Canada - multiculturalism - before referring to the religion of those requesting accommodations.  To which I add: requesters who never asked for that much.

A British writer, V.S Pritchett, once wrote that a Canadian is lost when he asking himself what it is to be Canadian (cited in 'Neil Bissoondath' "Selling Illusions" - Boréal - 1995).  But if you put a turban on his head, there, he finds himself!..."

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I especially like the description of Canada as a 'demented country' ("pays de fous" in French) - because it describe precisely what I've been saying above.




G.

[viper37]

So you figure that Quebec isn't a bunch of backwards xenophobes because a bunch of third-worlders, a group known for backwardness and xenophobia, adopt the same policies that you guys do?

The bunch of Third-worlder, the group known for backwardness from wich the poor unjustly-barred-from-soccer-Sikh are issued don't wear turban when they play soccer.  So, tell me again, why is it we should accomodate people for traditions they don't themselves respect in their home country?