We, the Muslim community of Calgary and Canada as a whole denounce and strongly protest against the allegations that the Hijab (head scarf) imposes a threat to the safety of oneself or surrounding people during any kind of sports.
- Soccer --- November 24,2007: Safaa Menhem, age 14, was pulled from a soccer match because her Hijab posed a safety risk.
- Judo --- November 17, 2007: Hajar Outbih, age 11, was given a bureaucratic boot during a Judo tournament because her Hijab was a safety risk.
- Taekwondo --- April 15, 2007: Taekwondo Team, ages 8-12, was withdrawn from a tournament due to 5 of the 6 members wearing a Hijab, which was deemed a safety risk.
- Soccer --- February 24, 2007: Asmahan "Azzy" Mansour, age 11, and her team, the Nepean Hotspurs Selects, walked off the field of a soccer match when she was asked to remove the Hijab because it was "a physical threat to the other players."
When the inconsistency of the 'Rules' in regard to wearing the Hijab in sports in Canada is considered; the question begging for an answer is: 'Is the real issue here to do with the safety or is this discrimination of religious expression being disguised as a safety issue?'
