Basketball Federation Refuses to Rule on Turban Ban

"It is a shame that FIBA has decided to let bureaucracy stand in the way of religious freedom,” said Sona Simran Kaur, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) Communications Director, after the International Basketball Federation declined to make a decision at its Central Board meeting about players wearing religious headgear, deciding instead to defer to further study.

Despite the fact that other major sports organizations -- including the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) -- do allow religious headgear to be worn by players during competition, FIBA does not.

Their rule encompasses all headgear, including turbans, hijab, and yarmulkes, per Article 4.4.2 of their rules: "Players shall not wear equipment (objects) that may cause injury to other players."

There have been several cases in the past year in which Sikh and Muslim players were not allowed to compete unless they uncovered their heads.

with thanks : nbcnews : LINK : for detailed news.