Misc Soccer News from Canada - Turbans and Brawling Parents

[pecan]

3 Jun 2013, National Post - The Canadian Press

Soccer league keeps ban on turbans

The Quebec Soccer Federation announced Sunday it has decided to keep a ban against players wearing turbans on the field. The federation began cracking down on turbans — the religious headgear worn by Sikhs — in the past few years. Referees who don’t apply the rule could face penalties of their own. In April the Canadian Soccer Association asked provincial associations to allow turbans on the field. The Quebec federation said that its decision is in line with the position of the international soccer organization FIFA, which has yet to take a clear stand on the issue. The federation said it would lift the ban immediately if FIFA does. Members of the Sikh community, however, say FIFA’s position is beside the point. Balpreet Singh, a spokesman for the World Sikh Organization of Canada, said FIFA is responsible for major international tournaments, while the Quebec Soccer Federation oversees recreational leagues.


3 Jun 2013, National Post -     Katrina Clarke, National Post

PARENTS BRAWL AT SOCCER GAME - (Barrie is a small town 60 minutes north of Toronto).

I think we have a forumite or two living in Kitchener Ontario, 60 minutes west of Toronto

Up to 30 parents got into a fight during a youth soccer game in Barrie  Saturday afternoon. Barrie Police were called to a local park when an argument escalated between parents of a Barrie soccer team and a Kitchener team. A parent from one team allegedly uttered racial slurs towards a parent on the other team. Barrie Police Sgt. rob Gravel said parents were mostly yelling at one another and that they were “visibly upset” when police arrived on scene. he said there was one allegation of a possible assault but the parent didn’t want to pursue criminal

[Kingk]

3 Jun 2013, National Post - The Canadian Press

Soccer league keeps ban on turbans

The Quebec Soccer Federation announced Sunday it has decided to keep a ban against players wearing turbans on the field. The federation began cracking down on turbans — the religious headgear worn by Sikhs — in the past few years. Referees who don’t apply the rule could face penalties of their own. In April the Canadian Soccer Association asked provincial associations to allow turbans on the field. The Quebec federation said that its decision is in line with the position of the international soccer organization FIFA, which has yet to take a clear stand on the issue. The federation said it would lift the ban immediately if FIFA does. Members of the Sikh community, however, say FIFA’s position is beside the point. Balpreet Singh, a spokesman for the World Sikh Organization of Canada, said FIFA is responsible for major international tournaments, while the Quebec Soccer Federation oversees recreational leagues.

Quebec's aint easy they not going to budge on dat, even if fifa says allow they may even fight it

3 Jun 2013, National Post -     Katrina Clarke, National Post

PARENTS BRAWL AT SOCCER GAME - (Barrie is a small town 60 minutes north of Toronto).

I think we have a forumite or two living in Kitchener Ontario, 60 minutes west of Toronto

Up to 30 parents got into a fight during a youth soccer game in Barrie  Saturday afternoon. Barrie Police were called to a local park when an argument escalated between parents of a Barrie soccer team and a Kitchener team. A parent from one team allegedly uttered racial slurs towards a parent on the other team. Barrie Police Sgt. rob Gravel said parents were mostly yelling at one another and that they were “visibly upset” when police arrived on scene. he said there was one allegation of a possible assault but the parent didn’t want to pursue criminal

Not surprised with the racial slur 2 hick downs 

[Touches]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22771425

Quebec soccer federation defends turban ban



Sikh males, such as those seen here in India, don the turban as a religious requirement
Quebec's soccer federation has defended a turban ban for players in its youth leagues, saying Sikh boys "can play in their backyard".

On Monday, a spokeswoman for the group said turbans were a safety hazard.

Canadian Sikh organisations estimate the ban has stopped 200 children playing in federated leagues this year.

The World Sikh Organization of Canada said it was "deeply saddened" by the "unreasonable" decision.

The decision to uphold the ban comes despite a ruling by the Canadian Soccer Association allowing hijabs, or Islamic headscarves, as well as turbans.

'No choice'
In a conference call on Monday, Brigitte Frot, the director general of the Quebec Soccer Federation, was asked what would happen if a five-year-old Sikh player were to register to play with his friends.

Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote

It is incredibly unfortunate and insulting that, in a nation that prides itself on diversity, such discriminatory regulations are allowed to stand”

Parm Gill
Conservative MP
"They can play in their backyard," Ms Frot said, "but not with official referees, not in the official rules of soccer. They have no choice."

Ms Frot told reporters the federation had not conducted safety studies on turbans, as the organisation did not have money for one. She was unaware of any related injuries in the province's leagues.

"The point is we don't know and because we don't know we don't want to take any chances," she said.

The federation also said it was taking a cue from Fifa's turban rules, but the international football organisation has no regulations either way on the head covering.

Conservative MP Parm Gill, an Indian Canadian, criticised the move.

"It is incredibly unfortunate and insulting that, in a nation that prides itself on diversity, such discriminatory regulations are allowed to stand," he said in a statement.

"There is no valid reason for a ban on the wearing of turbans or other religious symbols during athletic competitions."

Quebec's federation is the only provincial soccer organisation in the country that has banned the turban.

The World Sikh Organization of Canada said it was considering a legal challenge but said the season was already lost for many young players, as the registration deadline had passed.

[Andre]

well i do see nobody on the indian national team wearing turban either.

[pecan]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2013/06/07/montreal-quebec-soccer-federation-turban-ban-canadian-soccer-association.html


The Canadian Soccer Association is backing Sikh soccer players in Quebec who want to wear turbans on the field.

The association has released a statement saying players should be allowed to wear turbans. The statement goes on to say that member associations from every other Canadian province and territory have safely allowed the wearing of turbans, and it expects the Quebec Soccer Federation to do the same.

“The Canadian Soccer Association is committed to making soccer accessible to the largest number of Canadians and will continue to work towards resolving this important and sensitive issue in a timely fashion,” said Victor Montagliani, president of the Canadian Soccer Association, in the statement.

Montreal soccer player Aneel Samra is happy with the support, and said he hopes the Quebec association will change its mind soon.

“It's great that the Canadian Soccer Association came out and they're in support of us along with a lot of other federal officials,” Samra said.

“There are encouraging signs that this will change soon enough. Hopefully this will make the [QSF] change its ruling.”
FIFA replies to complainant

The international soccer organization, FIFA, has not officially ruled on this case. Its rulebook doesn't specify turbans are banned, but also does not expressly condone their use.

Raghav Sandhu, however, the president of the South Asian Alliance student group at Ryerson University in Toronto, said he got an answer from FIFA in response to his written complaint.

“FIFA lifted the ban of wearing hijabs or turbans, as well as the Canadian Soccer association did," said the written reply to Sandu from the soccer organization’s communications department. "Therefore, as the Quebec Football Federation lies under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Soccer Association, please contact them directly in this regard.”

The Quebec Soccer Federation banned players from wearing turbans last year, saying it was applying FIFA’s Law 4, which dictates the equipment allowed on the field.

[pecan]

Dear Diary: Quebec Soccer Federation as imagined by Tristan Hopper of the National Post

 


 

MONDAY

Others may criticize our decision, but the fact remains that a turban can be a very, very dangerous variable on a soccer field. Soccer is a fastpaced, high-impact sport where even the slightest misstep can cause lifelong physical trauma, which is why we must take every precaution to ensure our players are safe. In an instant, an unravelled head-covering could lead to broken ankles, blindness and, in select cases, total dismemberment. Also, while this certainly has nothing to do with the Sikh community in particular, it is worth noting that cloth-winding is perfect for concealing an explosive device. There is no joy in this decision for us, but as we’ve said, if Sikhs want to play soccer maybe they should clear all the broken-down cars out of their yards and play there. … It is Sikhs who do that, right?

TUESDAY

We are simply flabbergasted by the spurious allegations of racism brought about by our turban decision. The Quebec Soccer Federation is, and always has been, an organization firmly devoted to the principles of multiculturalism. Of course, we need to balance those principles with our commitment to maintaining a safe field of play. It is why all new members of Latin-American heritage are immediately issued with documentation indicating that a soccer field is not an appropriate place to bring their sombrero. Haitians, similarly, are informed that while their culture is a valued portion of the Quebecois fabric, we would prefer if games are kept absolutely free of witchcraft. despite claims to the contrary, however, we actually maintain no restrictions on Jewish religious garb, and we continue to encourage the Jewish community to recognize this and lift their boycott on organized soccer.

WEDNESDAY

Today, our bold stance received widespread support at an annual meeting of fellow Quebec sports associations. The fact is, we cannot let Quebec athletics be steamrolled by cultural accommodation. We maintain that if these appeasements go unchecked, we could slip into a new dark age in which hockey players’ craniums are protected by little more than feather headdresses and in which entire women’s swim teams are tragically drowned by the weight of their waterlogged burkas. Within our lifetimes, the Team Canada we send to the Olympics could well be little more than a gaggle of hare Krishnas and Wiccans tripping over their linen robes and repeatedly stopping gameplay to pray to an idol or something. The world is watching.

THURSDAY

It has come to our attention that at least five of the soccer fields under our jurisdiction are within several hundred metres of a minaret. Now, the Quebec Soccer Federation does not object to these structures on any religious or cultural grounds, but the fact remains that in any kind of windstorm or other natural disaster, our coaches have expressed concerns these towers could pose a potentially fatal risk to players if they were to collapse. That is why our association has backed a province-wide initiative to halt construction of all mosques within 200 metres of a playground, school or bus stop. It is only temporary, of course. Once the Muslim community can provide us with the engineering data showing that their unreinforced prayer towers do not pose lethal harm to innocent Quebecers, we will consider rescinding the ban.

FRIDAY

Shocking news this morning that our association has received official correspondence from the federal government in english, despite clear instructions that our preferred language is French, the obvious language of majority in Quebec. It was clear prejudice, to be sure, but we would not shy away from calling it outright linguistic genocide. With the full backing of our executive, we have taken the case to the Quebec human rights Tribunal, where we will seek an official apology and sixfigure settlement for what is, in essence, a crass and blatant attempt at assimilation. Tragically, such bigotry is to be expected from regular people, but when it comes direct from an official body, this association believes it is up to good citizens everywhere to oppose it.

[Kingk]

REPORT: FORMER MADRID MANAGER  FLORO TO COACH CANADA

TORONTO -- Veteran Spanish manager Benito Floro is expected to be introduced Friday as coach of the Canadian men's soccer team.

Floro's appointment was reported by Marca, a Spanish national daily sports newspaper.

The Canadian Soccer Association confirmed it will introduce its new coach Friday morning in Toronto but declined comment on the report or Floro.

Canada has been without a full-time coach since Stephen Hart stepped down in October following the national team's humiliating exit from World Cup qualifying.

Floro, 61, has a lengthy resume that includes being in charge of Spanish giant Real Madrid from 1992 to 1994. Nineteen managers have patrolled the sidelines at the Santiago Bernabeu since.

Most recently he coached WAC (Wydad Athletic Club) Morocco.

Other teams on his resume include Spain's Villareal, Sporting Gijon, and Mallorca among others. He has also managed Monterrey in Mexico and Vissel Kobe in Japan.

Floro earned headlines for leading Albacete Balompie from the third division to Spain's elite league in three seasons during the early 1990s. That precipitated his hiring at Real Madrid where he led the team to second place in La Liga and the Copa Del Rey before being fired the following season.

Flor fits in between Leo Beenhakker and Vicente Del Bosque in the Real Madrid managerial annals.

He returned to Albacete and then Madrid in 2005 when he replaced Arrigo Sacchi as the club's sporting director.

Floro has also worked as a TV commentator.

The next coach will be Canada's eighth full-time manager since Tony Waiters took the national team to the 1986 World Cup, Canada's only trip to the men's world championship.

He will take over a team ranked 88th by FIFA, sandwiched between Trinidad and Tobago (which recently appointed Hart as its new manager) and the Central African Republic.

With the 2014 World Cup out of the question, Canada must look ahead to the 2018 World Cup in Russia and beyond.

The Canadian men are currently at the Gold Cup, the regional championship for the CONCACAF region, under interim coach Colin Miller.

Reporters taking part in a Miller conference call Thursday were asked to restrict their questions to the Gold Cup. Miller has taken a young squad to the Gold Cup, with the CSA electing not to call up older players such as 35-year-old Dwayne De Rosario and 33-year-old Patrice Bernier.

The Canadian Soccer Association had set a Hispanic coach as a target, according to one source. After the 8-1 loss in Honduras that sealed Canada's World Cup qualifying fate, association president Victor Montagliani said something had to be done to better prepare Canada for playing in the hostile confines of Central America.

from Tsn.ca

[Mose]

Shocking news this morning that our association has received official correspondence from the federal government in english, despite clear instructions that our preferred language is French, the obvious language of majority in Quebec. It was clear prejudice, to be sure, but we would not shy away from calling it outright linguistic genocide. With the full backing of our executive, we have taken the case to the Quebec human rights Tribunal, where we will seek an official apology and sixfigure settlement for what is, in essence, a crass and blatant attempt at assimilation. Tragically, such bigotry is to be expected from regular people, but when it comes direct from an official body, this association believes it is up to good citizens everywhere to oppose it.

Dis part eh far from reality!

[asylumseeker]

FIFA panel officially allows turbans, hijabs in soccer after Quebec controversy

http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Governing+body+officially+allows+turbans+soccer/9568007/story.html

MONTREAL - Soccer's international rule-making body has given a final go-ahead to allow players to wear religious head coverings during games, clarifying an issue that stirred controversy in Quebec last summer.

A FIFA panel known as the International Football Association Board made the decision Saturday, extending a two-year trial period during which hijabs were permitted. Turbans will also be allowed.

Last year, Quebec's soccer federation set off a political firestorm — and was suspended by the Canadian Soccer Association — for enforcing a ban on turbans and other religious headwear.

The federation lifted the ban after FIFA clarified last June that such headwear was acceptable.

A spokesman for the Quebec Soccer Federation said they are satisfied with the decision and plan to follow the rules.

"All we've wanted, for years, is to have a clear position (from FIFA) and rules to follow, and now we know what to do, and we'll do it," said Michel Dugas.

The decision on head coverings follows extra trials after a July 2012 decision to approve scarves worn by Islamic female players.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said Saturday's decision extended to male players following a request from Sikh community leaders in Canada.

"You cannot have discrimination," Valcke said at a news conference in Zurich, Switzerland. "It was decided that what can apply to female players can also apply to men."

Last year, the Quebec organization had cited safety issues for its controversial move as well as the fact the garments were not endorsed by FIFA.

The Parti Quebecois government came out in favour of the federation’s position, while many federal politicians slammed it as exclusionary.

Dugas maintained the federation wasn't trying to create problems and only wanted to get clarity from FIFA.

"It's a debate that isn't easy, and that's probably why it took so long," he said.

[Tiresais]

Excellent news, it'd be sad that if the world's game would discourage any group from playing.