h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4511680.stm

Found this on the BBC website today, and it has been trailed on the radio.

Is it culture or religion that insists that the all-women muslim football team from the UK must train in the absence of male referees, trainers, physios, supporters etc?

Thought you might like to see the link anyway, and catch the radio program if you can

Its a mixture of both.

Its disliked for men and women to mix in Islam but this is mainly on a one to one basis. Islamic law though leaves it fully open though in areas of medicine and health and safety, i.e. its perfectly acceptable under Islamic law for a male doctor to to treat a women in private, but the woman is free to ask for another women to be prresent or bring a friend or relative if she is personally uncomfortable with it.

So Islamically referees and traineers should be female and physios can be either as there job is medical related. Supporters can be either but it is disliked in some areas as it can lead to corruption in moralality. I.e. male fans ettin lust thouhts by watchin women. So its kinda of a razors edge its allowed but also its frowned upon as it can lead to bad things.

As for the complete and utter exclusion of men well thats cultural take on the Islamic law.

Yes, but things are getting better. Pakistan sent their women's swimming team to Hyderabad,India to compete in (I think) the Asian Games, they were allowed near-perfect freedom to dress, eat and live however they liked during their stay. But they did mention a lot of opposition in Pakistan, usually by men, who used their own interpretation of the Quran to claim that the women in the swim team were disobeying Islamic law by revealing more'n an inch of skin or something. We thought that kinda strange, seeing as their team had some real good swimmers, and the potential to do much better.

The main issue here and the reason for the photo ban and male ban - is the women can dress as they want - shorts etc.. Its a practical solution. Those who don't want to be infront of men unveiled or wearing less clothing than usual have the freedom to do that. No men oogling at them. How many even non-muslim women wouldn't love that?!

yep that is the main point. But people read to much in to these things.