MARYLAND – A leading American Muslim civil rights group welcomed on Monday, April 3, the decision by the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA), allowing student athletes to wear religious attire, including an Islamic hijab.
“We welcome this change in policy, which will enable more Muslim high school students – as well as students of other faiths – to participate in athletic activities,” Dr. Zainab Chaudry, Outreach Manager of the Maryland chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), said in a statement sent to AboutIslam.net.
“Religion should never be a factor in the ability to play sports. We encourage the National Federation of State High School Associations, of which MPSSAA is a member, to adopt a similar policy change.”
That change in policy came following CAIR intervention last month in the case of a Muslim student who was prevented from playing in a basketball game because of her hijab.
The student, Je’Nan Hayes, was barred from the game after officials cited a rarely-enforced rule requiring “documented evidence” of a request for religious attire.
A March 21 MPSSAA notice to “Local Supervisors of Athletics, Member School Athletic Directors” changed the rules, allowing religious headwear, including hijab.
“The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) herein grants an exception to the NFHS uniform standards for religious purposes,” it read.
“Any participant may wear a head covering, wrap, or other required religious garment which is not abrasive, hard, or dangerous to any player/others, and is attached in such a way that it is unlikely to come off during play.”
Chaudry noted the courage and advocacy of the Muslim student and her mother, which helped prompt this significant development.
Earlier this year, CAIR welcomed a move by the Switzerland-based International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to allow athletes to wear religious headgear, including the Islamic head scarf (hijab).
CAIR has also called on the Switzerland-based International Boxing Association (AIBA) and USA Boxing to grant a religious exemption to current uniform regulations so that athletes may wear hijab during competition.