Friday, Oct 31, 2008
Gulf News
Manama: An ominous dressing down from Islamists MPs concerned about "indecent outfits" has forced organisers of an international volleyball tournament to cancel a women's exhibition match.
Bahrain is currently hosting the penultimate stage of the Swatch-Federation Internationale de Volley Ball (FIVB) Beach Volley World Tour in which 24 teams are vying for the top honours.
An exhibition match between two women's teams was scheduled for Saturday, but mounting pressure from lawmakers, led by MP for the Islamic Menbar Mohammad Khalid and independent Salafi MP Jassem Al Saeedi, has led to its cancellation.
"We refuse to have games that require women to be almost naked and wear outrageous clothes that cover only a slight portion of the body. Such games have no place in Bahrain, a country where Islamic tenets are a major source of legislation," Al Saeedi said.
"We do not stand against sports or cultural activities, and, in fact, we do encourage sports games and activities that are beneficial to young people. However, we cannot tolerate nudity because of its terribly negative effects on our young men and women," he said.
MP Khalid on Tuesday had threatened to take the issue of the women's volleyball outfit to the parliament where Sunni and Shiite Islamists hold 32 of the 40 seats.
"What these women wear is scandalous and cannot be tolerated in Bahrain as it clashes with the people's beliefs and norms," he said.
However, Khalid on Thursday said that he was assured by Shaikh Fawaz Bin Mohammad Al Khalifa, the head of youth and sports in Bahrain, that the match would not be held.
"Shaikh Fawaz told me that there would be no women's match and that all the games would be confined to men. He even extended an open invitation to attend all the matches," Khalid said.
Bahrain in 2006 signed a two-year contract with FIVB to be on its annual calendar and host world beach volleyball events.
Last year, Bahrain hosted the first-ever SWATCH-FIVB World Tour event in the Arabian Gulf.
Bahrain's MPs have rarely commented on Bahrain's sports results, but have kept a vigilant eye on its athletes' gears.
In 2005, Maryam Yousuf Jamal, the Bahraini middle distance champion, came under heavy criticism by MP Hamad Al Muhannadi for wearing short shorts and a sleaveless midriff- baring top, which is considered standard attire among athletes.
Gulf News 2008. All rights reserved.
