Iran's Women's Soccer Team Will Play in Youth Olympics

The Iranian women's soccer team will be allowed to play in the Youth Olympics after agreeing to wear "a cap that covers their heads to the hairline, but does not extend below the ears to cover the neck." I am happy that they will be allowed to compete in the tournament, though I think the dress restrictions were ridiculous to begin with. In this case, I do not agree that a hijab is a safety concern; they are not particularly loose fitting and tuck into a shirt. It is just as much of a safety concern as a ponytail.

FIFA's other argument for banning hijabs is that they do not allow any religious symbols on the field. This argument has more bearing in my mind, but it is more important to allow teams to play than to ban them over clothing. I am glad that a compromise could be reached.

News and Notes

The IOC has supported FIFA's decision to bar the Iranian women's team from the Youth Olympics because the IOC believes it is up to individual governing bodies to establish and enforce rules. Though I can see why they would be hesitant to set a precedent, I still find this to be a very disappointing decision. I plan on exploring the nuances of this issue a bit more when my life calms down a little (probably sometime next week).

Caster Semenya's lawyers told South African press that gender test results have shown that she can compete as a woman. A more contextualized look at this is also coming.

The official investigation into Nodar Kumaritashvili's death concluded that there was no one cause.

Send good thoughts to tennis great Martina Navratilova who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

Routine of the Day:

Soccer Team Out of Youth Olympics

The Iran women's soccer team has been kicked out of the Youth Olympics because players wear hijabs, which is against FIFA rules. The handbook specifically state that “basic compulsory equipment must not have any political, religious or personal statements.” Frankly, this is bad politics for FIFA. While there would be potential safety issues with a loose-fitting hijab, a tighter one should cause no issue because it is basically like playing with longer hair. Unless Elizabeth Lambert is on the opposing team, that is not an issue. Thailand has been nominated to take Iran's place.

Butler lost to Duke for the men's basketball NCAA title. They had two shots at the end that almost went in but rimmed out. I love smaller schools, mid-majors, and good stories, so I definitely jumped on the Butler bandwagon. It would have been cool to see. Maybe posting Trent Dimas last night was wishful thinking for the Bulldogs?

In my favorite cult sport, curling, the American team currently sits at 2-3 in the men's world championships. Pete Fenson, the 2006 Olympic bronze medalist, is the skip for this team as well. Fenson owns Dave's Pizza, the best pizza place in Bemidji, MN. If you're in the area, you should go. I recommend pineapple pizza and cheese sticks.