A Muslim amateur soccer player said he was banned from playing in a match because he was not wearing shorts for religious reasons.
Iqra Ismail, a 24-year-old from north-west London, was due to play for United Dragons in the Greater London Women’s League on Sunday, coming on at half-time to make her debut for the team.
However, the referee for the match against Tower Hamlets did not allow her to take part in the match at London’s Regent’s Park, saying her kit was in breach of league regulations. Ismail, who wore pants that matched his team’s colors, said the same referee had allowed him to play in jersey bottoms in two other games.
Ismail has been playing in the grassroots league for five years with Headstone Manor and Hilltop FC and has never had any problems wearing the jersey. When he was banned from playing by match officials on October 27, Ismail said that while his teammates expressed their anger at the referee, Ismail himself felt as if he was a burden causing the delay.
Banned from playing, Ismail had no choice but to leave the pitch and returned to the changing room, changed his uniform and burst into tears. She spoke to the referee again after the match to try to find a solution to her kit problem, but was unsuccessful.
LONDON, UK – SEPTEMBER 13: Iqra Ismail attends the Wonderland Magazine x UGG LFW Party held at The Standard, London Sweeties on September 13, 2024 in London, United Kingdom. Credit: Dave Bennett/Getty Images for Wonderland Magazine
The league raised this issue with her in March 2024, when Ismail was playing for the Hilltops, according to an email published on Yahoo News, which states that Ismail and her team were not allowed to wear tracksuit bottoms. Apparently this was taken care of as he was allowed to play wearing one.
The 24-year-old footballer and coach from London was named to Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 Most Brightest Young Entrepreneurs list in 2019 and is also QPR’s Community Trust’s Women’s Refugee Football Project Coordinator. She also won the Football Black List Award in 2019, which honors outstanding black people in football.
“My view was that even though we try to follow the rules as best we can, they bend the rules in other places,” she said.
Ismail said the team and the FA are cooperative and trying to resolve the issue. She said: “I spoke to someone at the FA and they’re furious because basically that should never have happened and they’re trying to deal with it, but it seems like it’s a league issue.” spoke.
In a one-minute video posted on her social media, Ismail said: “They ask why there is a lack of diversity in women’s football and why it is so hard to find women who look like me on the playing field. I’ve been there for some reason,” he said.
“Yesterday I was so angry and frustrated that I was literally in tears. I have truly never felt so alone, but my responsibility is to advocate for women like me.”
Ismail said he is grateful for the overwhelming support he has received.
She has been working to get Muslim women involved in soccer by organizing weekly matches and events. In July, after a sold-out screening to watch England play in the Euro finals, she expressed her hope that one day more Muslim women would be able to wear the hijab and play soccer at the highest level. He said he is doing so.
An FA spokesperson told Yahoo News they were aware of the incident and were in contact with the Middlesex FA. They said: ‘Earlier this year we proactively wrote to all county football associations and match officials for women’s grassroots matches to ensure that women and girls are allowed to wear clothing that does not compromise their faith or religious beliefs. I have confirmed that.”
“We remain committed to ensuring that English football is an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone.”
The Greater London Women’s League has been contacted by Yahoo News UK.
Ismail is an award-winning soccer coach who runs soccer sessions for refugee women. (Included)
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