Iqra Ismail has revealed she can be returning to enjoying soccer whereas carrying tracksuit bottoms.
The Muslim footballer mentioned earlier this week that she was not allowed to play in a match for United Dragons as a result of she refused to put on shorts, which went towards her spiritual beliefs.
She posted on X on Thursday evening, thanking individuals for his or her help, including that she has been speaking to senior members of the FA and Middlesex County FA, who’ve been “really supportive and are actively working to make sure nothing like this happens again”.
“And I am pleased so say, as of this weekend, I will be back on the pitch playing football in my tracksuit bottoms. The journey doesn’t end here. I will continue to do my best moving forward to advocate for other women like me who just want a safe place to play football,” she added.
On Tuesday, the Soccer Affiliation apologised to Ismail straight after she was informed by a referee in a Higher London Ladies’s Soccer League match that she wouldn’t be allowed on the pitch if she was not carrying shorts.
Ismail, 24, who was named on the 2019 Soccer Black Record and can also be a coach, was set to come back on for United Dragons as a half-time substitute towards Tower Hamlets FC.
After the sport, the referee mentioned he had been informed originally of the season that referees weren’t allowed to let anybody play in the event that they weren’t carrying shorts.
“It’s not something that I’ve ever been through before and it’s not something I’d wish anybody to go through again. It didn’t feel real,” she informed Sky Sports activities Information this week.
“I’m the type of person that when I get frustrated, when I get angry, it genuinely brings me to tears because I felt so isolated and bothered.
“I’ve been enjoying on this league for nearly 5 years now, carrying tracksuit bottoms, and yearly they’ve made it an increasing number of troublesome for girls like me to play.”
Earlier within the 12 months, Ismail complained to the FA in regards to the concern and the FA then proactively wrote to all of the County FAs and match officers to substantiate that ladies and women must be allowed to put on clothes that ensures their religion or spiritual beliefs aren’t compromised.
Ismail mentioned the help she has acquired from the FA all year long has been constructive.
