A sports official in Oman has called on Muslim countries to protest collectively against the ban on Hijab in some sports events.
Sa’ada Salim al-Esmaeili urged all Islamic states to request a revision of laws that ban Hijab for female athletes in Asian and international sporting events, al-Balad website reported.
She said Muslim countries should take their message about Hijab to the world’s sports officials.
Al-Esmaeili also praised the Qatar women's basketball team that forfeited a game at the Asian Games last Wednesday after being refused permission to wear the Hijab.
She said in order to remove concerns about female athlete’s health, new regulations should be introduced in different sports so that Muslim teams could design clothing in line with Islamic criteria.
Last week, the Qatari women's basketball players were asked, in accordance with International Basketball Federation's rules, to remove their headscarves in order to play against Mongolia.
However, the players refused, saying it violated their religious beliefs and they wanted to send a strong message to the sport's governing federation that the ban was unfair.
"We knew about the hijab ban, but we have to be here. We have to show everyone that we are ready to play, but the International Association is not ready."
The use of hijabs has become a hot topic in sport in recent years with Muslim athletes complaining that they are being discriminated against.
Other sports at the Asian Games allow athletes to wear the Hijab. All four members of the Iranian lightweight women's quadruple sculls team wore it as they rowed to a bronze medal.
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