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.