Beards problem for Afghan boxers

Beards problem for Afghan boxers

KABUL (AFP): Afghanistan's religious sports officials on
Monday urged Asian Games and Olympics organizers to change laws
banning beards in boxing, to allow their athletes to compete.

Sports Minister Abdul Shokour Mutmaen said his boxers had been
unfairly treated during a tournament in Karachi, when three
boxers were barred because they had untrimmed beards.

Under the strict Islamic syariah law enforced in Afghanistan,
men must allow their beards to grow, they are prevented from
trimming them, and masculinity is symbolized by each beard being
equal to the length of one fist.

Woman are barred from competing in all sports.

"Islamic Shariat athletes have to adjust themselves. We want
organizations to make allowances for our athletes to allow them
to take part in matches.

"If there are problems then we won't take part," Mutmaen said.
Asked whether Afghan boxers might be allowed to shave in order to
compete in the 2000 Olympics or the Asian Games in Bangkok in
December, he replied: "No, it's not possible".

Earlier this month Pakistan officials barred two Afghan
lightweights and a middleweight after they refused to shave.

International Amateur Boxing Association rules, generally used
at the Asian Games and Olympics, ban beards because they can hide
cuts to the face and make it harder for judges to assess point
scoring.

Mutmaen said his ministry was seeking clarification of the
rules used at the Pakistani tournament. But he added that Afghan
boxers may have been unfairly treated.

"We chose our most gifted athletes for the best results, we
think they were not allowed to compete because these countries
were against us," he said.