OTTAWA, Ontario, Canada—A decision by the Quebec Soccer Federation to exclude Sikh players from wearing Dastars, Patkas and Keskis from soccer teams has evoked a wide range of condemnation in Canada. The Canadian Soccer Association has suspended the Quebec Federation and barred it from holding any sort of matches at a national or international level. The members of the federation have been asked to take back their discriminatory decision immediately.
Politicians of all stripes have given their full support to Sikh youth to play soccer while wearing the Dastar.
” The actions of the Quebec Soccer Federation has not only hurt the sentiments of Sikhs but also disregarded the rules of Canadian society” said Nina Grewal who is a Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party. Jasbir Sandhu, a Member of Parliament of the New Democratic Party, termed it a disappointing declaration on the part of Quebec authorities.
Recently Sikhs across Canada have launched boycotts against sponsors of the Quebec Soccer Federation and companies have begun to take notice, according to a recent article published by the Montreal Gazette. A fanpage on Facebook titled BoycottQSF has gained a lot of momentum in just a few days. The page is asking its fans to press QSF sponsors to take back their sponsorship. Saputo and Couche-Tard are amongst the sponsors of QSF.
The Quebec Soccer Federation has wrongly claimed that only a decision from FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, would allow them to permit any head coverings, even though they have been told to permit the wearing of the Dastar, Patka and Keski by the Canadian Soccer Assocation. FIFA has now declared that Dastars are permitted, leaving the Quebec Soccer Federation with no excuse to continue their ban. The World Sikh Organization of Canada has threatened legal action against the Quebec Soccer Federation if the ban is not reversed immediately.
the sooner quackbec gets the hell out of MY country, the better ! A S A P ! ! !
It is a shame that politics politicians blinkered by their ignorance in Quebec have made kids suffer for nought ., French , English and Ethnic for what a feel good for nervous no identity assimilated Quebec distinct only French speaking area in North America not ….French is alive with five billion French immersion in all if Canada including BC Alberta Saskatchewan New Brunswick Nova Scotia . The passé PQ party is all 1960 hippie rebels with no cause drumming a race card for power …NDP has drawn Bloq Québécois support and recently the French only Quebec has list in the polls so it picked on the late Hon.Premier of Quebec …Jacques Parizeau’s words ” Maudis Ethnics” for losing the referendum vote on sovereignty too bad sour grapes.