Ban of Sikh soccer player - OVERTURNED!

September 6th, 2005 by admin
Vaheguru ji ka khalsa,
Vaheguru ji ki fatheh!

Khalsa ji,

Congratulations to Gurinder Dhah, who was allowed to continue with his playing in the soccer tournament. Also a very commendable action by his team and coach, to stay with him and not abandon him in his need of defense. Hopefully Gurinder will move forward in his Sikhi and take on the Sikhi suroop by partaking of khande-ke-pahul. May the Guru bless him with strength of the spirit and peace of mind.

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa,
Vaheguru ji ki fatheh!

By PETTI FONG
Tuesday, September 6, 2005
The Globe and Mail Newspaper
Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com

VANCOUVER — Gurinder Dhah scored no goals, didn’t even get an assist yesterday, but he made it onto the soccer field in Langley and that’s a big enough victory for the 17-year-old player.

The Calgary high-school student was told he couldn’t play in a soccer tournament on the weekend because of his patka, a head scarf worn by Sikh men.

When a referee told Gurinder that non-soccer related clothing items couldn’t be worn on the field, the player was given the choice to remove his patka or leave the game.

Gurinder kept his patka and he and his teammates from Calgary’s Northwest United gave up the game.

“I couldn’t believe it. That has never happened to me ever before,” Gurinder said yesterday. “I’m just really glad my team stuck by me.”

The patka is a small scarf usually about half a metre long and half a metre wide worn on top of the head where the long hair is knotted. It is less formal than a full turban and worn for swimming and sports.

B.C. Soccer Association officials said a rule that prohibits equipment that could endanger players or referees may have been misinterpreted. Gurinder said he couldn’t believe the rules, and in 10 years of playing soccer, no one had ever made a fuss about his patka. A player from Williams Lake who wore one was also told he couldn’t play.

The Langley Labour Day Tournament, with more than 200 teams from Western Canada competing, wrapped up yesterday.

Gurinder was allowed to play the first day as well as yesterday.

His father, Gurmit Dhah, said no explanation was given for why some referees allowed his son to play, while others did not.

“He was very much hurt inside when he learned he couldn’t play, but he had his teammates back him up and he knew, and everyone knew, that it was the wrong decision to not allow him to play,” said Mr. Dhah yesterday. “When he showed up this morning, no one said a word and he just began to play.”

The French government banned all religious headgear in schools last year. Three Sikh students there who were expelled for refusing to comply lost their court cases.

The B.C. Soccer Association issued a statement saying it regrets the incident and will conduct a thorough investigation.

The association said referees apply their own judgment on how to apply the rules of FIFA, the international federation for soccer. One of the rules is the prohibition of any equipment that would be unsafe to players and officials involved in a soccer match.

President Victor Montagliani of the B.C. Soccer Association said that doesn’t apply to religious head coverings.

“B.C. Soccer has never sent out an edict saying it shouldn’t be allowed. Perhaps there was a misinterpretation and perhaps there were some personalities involved,” he said yesterday.

Mr. Montagliani said with 2,000 referees, it’s possible that some of them misinterpreted the rules. All the referees are volunteers and the association will make clear in the future that religious headgear is allowed.

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