Unholy row at Muslim and Christian clerics' soccer game

[Al-khiyal]

5 May 2007 -- A friendship-building football match between Muslim and Christian clergy in Norway was called off after a row over the participation of women players.

Muslim Imams had refused to play against women because it went against their beliefs about close physical contact with the opposite sex.

But when the church decided to drop its women players, the priests' team captain walked out in protest.

The game was meant to be an enjoyable end to a day-long conference in Oslo.

Members of the two faiths had been discussing ways of encouraging greater inter-faith dialogue at the "Shoulder to Shoulder" event.

Church of Norway spokesman Olav Fykse Tveit said they had learnt of the imams' objections over the match two days before Saturday's conference.

"But because we thought it would be a nice conclusion of the conference we didn't want to call it off, so we decided to stage an all-men's team game instead," he said.

The decision outraged the women players in the Christian team, and prompted the captain to resign.

Just hours before the match, the church released a statement saying it had been called off.

"We realise now that it will be wrong to have a priest team without women," the statement said.

"The reactions we have had today shows us that this is being interpreted as a gender-political issue. This is why we cannot go through with the soccer match."

Mr Fykse Tveit said the outcome had not been solely negative.

"Both sides have learned to better understand our cultures and we have had an open discussion."

Unholy row at clergy soccer game

[nouha]

i think its good that they want to play soccer... it unites ppl in ways more than just "debates"

anyways... i dont see why the lady is taking offense to this..

soccer in olympic sports are seperated for good reason... but no one calls that discrimination...

if she wants to start a soccer team between christians and muslims... then all she has to do is go to church/masjid and open the idea to the women there....

[Bent_Bladi]

yeah, i agree, nouha --- it's not a good idea for ANY girl to play against a guy in soccer - for obvious reasons. I think maybe the Muslims should have brought with them Muslim women (sheikhas or something) to play against the Christian women

[voltaire]

it's not a good idea for ANY girl to play against a guy in soccer - for obvious reasons.

Eh?

It really isn't the case that women are all fragile little flowers who will faint at the sight of a man trying to tackle a ball from them, you know



V

[Bent_Bladi]

voltaire - i'm the LAST person who'd think that.... the LAAAAAAAAAAAST!! I meant that guys would touch the girls in inappropriate areas... we can smear ya guys to a juice - but when it's a mixed match - guys who are playing against girls (especially muslim guys, who supposedly never touched a non-related girl before) will inevitably bumb/slam/rub against another girl (be it by accident or on purpose) and then you know what'll happen...

c'mon if that's what you thought i meant by "obvious reasons".................