New Delhi, Oct 30: Indian pistol shooter Heena Sidhu has pulled out of the Asian Airgun Shooting Championship in Iran due to the compulsory hijab rule for all women athletes.
The former world number one thinks that forcing athletes to wear a hijab is against the spirit of a sport.
“Sport is an exhibition of sheer Human Effort Performance. Our ability to dig deep for Strength, Will Power and Determination.
“This is d reason I compete n I cannot compete for anything lesser than this. But I wud also not have my personal opinion politicised,” Sidhu wrote on her twitter handle.
The championship is scheduled be held in Iran's capital Tehran in December.
The two-time Olympian had written to the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) about her decision of withdrawing from the competition.
“I thank the NRAI for respecting my views n I wud also like 2wish luck 2 r team competing in Iran. Lets concentrate on competition dan hijab.”
She further said, “Im proud 2 b sportsperson coz ppl from diff cultures, backgrouds, sexes, ideologies, religion can cum 2gether n compete without biases.“Im not a revolutionary. But I feel dat making it mandatory for even a sportsperson to wear hijab is not in the spirit of a Sport.
“There have been reports abt me skipping the Asian air weapon competition in Iran due to their practice of making women wear hijab.”
Heena finished 14th after getting eliminated in the qualification round of 10m women's air pistol in Rio Olympics in August. She had earlier won a gold at the 2013 World Cup as well as the Asia Rio 2016 Olympics qualifiers to claim her Rio Games berth.
Welcoming the move Dr Arathi Krishna told coastaldigst.com that Indians stranded in any foreign country can utilize this facility. "Initially, I was approached by Mr Zakaria and Mr Sheik who wanted chartered flights to help their employees fly back to India. I asked them to write to the Indian Ambassador in Saudi Araia Mr Ausaf Sayeed. Then I requested the ambassador to forward the request to Joint Secretary Dr Nagendra Prasad, who is in charge of gulf division in the Ministry of External Affairs, and then to Secretary on charge of Gulf and then I requested Secretary of Economic Relations Mr T S Tirumurti who was also in charge of Gulf to follow this up," she said.
Comments
@ everybody.. its her choice.. she does not want to wear.. she did not wear it.. why are you people getting hurt, she did not wear any indecent clothes due to which you people are getting offended
All actresses wear burka when they go to visit shrines to pray to bring goodness for their films....
When our FM Mrs. Sushma Swaraj can wear hijab being a minister and a BJP leaders why this lady can not ?
ASK your GRANDMA how the western world tricked the Moral women of india into their way of life style... which U need to learn from her...
Women in punjab are almost covered..
Dont keep your head covered only in Guruduwara... follow your scripture and be dutiful to your CREATOR rather than following blindly the western created world.
This is a good message to the west. Like Heena said that forcing anyone to wear hijab is against the spirit of sport, it is also against freedom of rights & humanity to enforce ban on hijab for those who would like to wear. Whats goes around comes around.
When sachin tendulkar can wear 1 kg of the helmet from very first ball. And can concentrate superbly.
And for u 30gm of hijab is difficult for u to concentrate. Actually ur not a sportsmanship women.
The Qur’an says: “O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.” (33:59) The implication there is that if women do not cover themselves adequately with their outer garments, they may be abused, and that such abuse would be justified.
If Sachin tendulkar can wear helmet from the very first ball. What is the problem..
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