The Qatar women's basketball team "forfeited a match at the Asian Games on Wednesday after being refused permission to wear the Islamic headscarf, taking a stand against what they say is a discriminatory policy against Muslim women," according to Peter Rutherford of REUTERS. The Qatari players were asked, "in accordance" with FIBA rules, to "remove the hijab before their group game against Mongolia." However, the players refused, "saying it violated their religious beliefs and they wanted to send a strong message to the sport's governing federation that the ban was unfair." Qatari player Ahlam Salem M. Al-Mana said, "We have to take this stand. ... We knew about the hijab ban, but we have to be here. We have to show everyone that we are ready to play, but the International Association is not ready." An Asian Games spokesperson said that organizers "had no alternative" other than to declare a forfeit because "the rule that the players broke is International Basketball Federation rule 4.4.2, which talks about uniforms and what players can wear." An assistant with Qatar's National Olympic Committee who "declined to be named" said they had "not made up their minds about whether they would play against Nepal on Thursday" (REUTERS, 9/24).
