FIBA Allows Players to Wear Religious Head Coverings

FIBA’s central board met over the weekend at the men’s world cup and voted to allow a two-year testing phase that would let players wear head coverings.

Previous FIBA rules only allowed a player to wear a 5-centimetre headband to control hair and sweat. That drew objections that the group was discriminating against Muslim and Sikh players, who wear head coverings for religious reasons.

“We welcome this policy change by FIBA because it allows Muslims, Sikhs and others who wear religious head coverings to take part in the sport that they love while maintaining their beliefs,” said Ibrahim Hooper, national communications director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

“FIBA should be congratulated for responding positively to all those who sought reasonable religious accommodation for athletes of all faiths.”

In 2012, football's governing body FIFA changed its rules to allow female Muslim players to wear head scarves.