The Globe and Mail – May 2, 2012
The idea for Montrealer Elham Seyed Javad’s sports hijab was born during the acrimony of Quebec’s reasonable accommodation debate. Now, it could become the debate’s global contribution to soccer.
The Montrealer’s prototype has already picked up praise, raising the possibility the Canadian-made creation could ease the way for Muslim women to participate in the world’s most popular sport.
Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, elected a vice-president at FIFA last year, began spearheading a campaign to reverse the organization’s 2007 ban on the headscarf, which it considers a safety concern during games. When she heard about it, Ms. Seyed Javad contacted the Jordanian royal. FIFA is seeking a headscarf that opens easily if it’s pulled, to prevent choking. A design presented to FIFA by a Dutch company uses Velcro to fasten the hijab; Ms. Seyed Javad’s design, the ResportOn Pro Release, uses lightweight magnets. If approved, the change would impact the lives of thousands of Muslim women, from elite national players to girls in community leagues in Canada and elsewhere.
