Muslim footballer stopped from playing in tracksuit bottoms

A football coach and refugee advocate was prevented from playing in a match because she wears tracksuit bottoms rather than shorts, which she says compromises her religious beliefs.

Iqra Ismail, who captained Somalia in 2019, said the issue arose when she signed for Regent’s Park grassroots team United Dragons FC.

The 24-year-old, from west London, was expected to play her first game on Sunday against an east London team, but was told by the referee that club shorts were a requirement.

The Greater London Women’s Football League, of which United Dragons FC is a member, said that following the incident it would be updating guidance to all match officials and members.

Ms Ismail told the BBC she “was warmed up, I was ready to go”, but when “I came on at half time… the referee told me that I wouldn’t be able to play unless I was wearing shorts”.

“I have been playing the same league for nearly five years wearing the same tracksuit bottoms and I’ve never worn shorts playing competitively,” she continued.

“I told him that I wasn’t comfortable wearing shorts in any capacity.

“It was a shock to me that the referee took such a strong stance of it.

“I was very visibly upset as the game was going on, my teammates and the manager were very supportive. Everyone has been devastated.”

Ms Ismail, who has played football since she was eight, said she has always worn a long-sleeve top, the team’s shirt, a sports hijab and tracksuit bottoms as well as shin pads and other necessary equipment.

“I know a lot of women [of the same faith and beliefs] who don’t play actively in these leagues, even though they are very capable of doing so, because they don’t feel comfortable wearing shorts. That’s the reason they do not play.”

She said it was the tracksuit bottoms that were the problem, not the long sleeve top.

The Greater London Women’s Football League appeared to be in contravention of the guidance given by the Football Association (FA) instructing to be lenient regarding the issue, but official FA rules state that tracksuit bottoms are only to be worn by the goalkeeper.

However, since the incident, the league has issued a statement to say it has been working with the FA to “better understand” the detail of the guidance regarding what women and girls can wear when playing football which “ensures their faith or religious beliefs are not compromised”.

It said: “It was our understanding that players were permitted to wear tights or tracksuit bottoms to cover their legs but that they would also have to wear shorts on top, to adhere to club colours regulations. It was this requirement that our referee was seeking to adhere to this weekend.

It says though that is has been since been made aware that this is not the case and that match officials should accommodate trousers “to ensure the players feel as comfortable as possible”.

The league added: “We will be providing this updated guidance to all our match officials and members and want to ensure everyone, including Iqra, that we fully support the principle that players should wear clothing that ensures their faith and/or religious beliefs are not compromised.”

Speaking before the league released its statement, Ms Ismail said while working as a coach she tried to give the Greater London Women’s Football League guidance on the issue, referencing the FA’s advice about leniency – but said they previously “decided not to budge”.

“It’s been one step forward and two steps back with this issue,” she said.

“In the past few years, I’ve been advocating for Muslim women to have a safe space in the game.

“For example, we hosted a women-only alcohol-free viewing of the FA cup final, for Muslim women to feel comfortable and included.

“It’s been difficult to see the hard work that a lot of us have put in start to be undone by incidents like this.”

She added: “Your religious principles and what you’re comfortable have to take precedence.

“People say when you’re on the pitch, you’re a player, but I believe you should be able to bring your culture and your identity with you, yes it’s a personal act of defiance, but it’s so much bigger than just me.”

A spokesperson from the FA said: “We proactively wrote to all county FAs and match officials across the women’s grassroots game earlier this year to confirm that women and girls should be allowed to wear clothing that ensures their faith or religious beliefs are not compromised.

“We remain deeply committed to ensuring that English football is an inclusive and welcoming environment for everybody.”