Sikhism and Sports: The "Safety" Issue of the Patka

The Quebec Soccer Federation (QSF) recently lifted a ban preventing Sikh players from wearing religious headwear (such as the patka) during games. This was after the QSF was suspended from the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) for not following its directive to allow male players to wear head scarves. Quebec was the only province or territory to not follow the CSA's directive. The QSF blamed a language barrier for the confusion, stating that they were only concerned for the players' safety when it came across as though they were starting a religious debate.

Local Vancouver area Indo-Canadian MP's spoke out about the ban before it was lifted. “Children and their families shouldn’t have to choose between their religion and playing organized sports,” said Conservative MP Nina Grewal.

In soccer, no other type of headgear (such as a helmet) is worn during play. This begs the question: what are the rules for sports that require a helmet, such as hockey or football? In 2008, a policy change was put into effect for hockey coaches teaching in the minor leagues in British Columbia. This change now allows coaches to wear religious headwear instead of a helmet when on ice. No indication that a similar policy change has been put into place for players and Internet searches have not revealed details of these rules.