BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Prince Ali of Jordan says he is “disturbed” by FIFA’s medical advice, which could prevent female Muslim soccer players from wearing headscarves.
The FIFA board member says he was “shocked” to hear its medical advisers describe two scarf designs as a health danger.
Michel D’Hooghe, FIFA’s medical committee chairman, said Thursday that female players wearing the scarves could sustain head and neck injuries, or overheat. Prince Ali says he is “concerned there is no seriousness in the testing, or no desire.”
FIFA’s rules-making panel intends to approve the scarves for use at a July 5 meeting in Zurich, but asked for a final medical opinion.
Prince Ali has pushed efforts to reverse a FIFA headscarves ban imposed in 2007.
