A Muslim football coach was prevented from playing in a match because she wears tracksuit bottoms rather than shorts: she says that wearing shorts compromises her religious beliefs. Iqra Ismail, who captained the Somalia national women’s team in 2019 was prevented from playing for Regent’s Park grassroots team United Dragons FC in the Greater London Women’s Football League because she was in her tracksuit bottoms rather than shorts. She told the BBC that

“I was warmed up, I was ready to go. I came on at half time and the referee told me that I wouldn’t be able to play unless I was wearing shorts. I have been playing the same league for nearly five years wearing the same tracksuit bottoms and I’ve never worn shorts playing competitively. I told him that I wasn’t comfortable wearing shorts in any capacity. It was a shock to me that the referee took such a strong stance on it.”

She also said that she knew a lot of Muslim women who “don’t play actively in these leagues” because they don’t feel comfortable wearing shorts. Continue reading →