Washington, DC (August 20, 2014): Led by New York Congressman Joseph Crowley and California Congressman Ami Bera, 21 members of the U.S. Congress sent a letter today to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) calling for an end to FIBA’s ban on Sikh turbans.
![Sikh basketball players [File Photos]](https://sikhsiyasat-en.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Sikh-basketball-players-File-Photo.jpg)
Sikh basketball players [File Photos]
Noting that the American NCAA allowed a Sikh athlete, Darsh Preet Singh, to wear a turban while playing college basketball for Trinity University, the Congressional letter labeled the turban ban “discriminatory” and asked FIBA’s Central Board to “carefully re-examine the existing policy with respect to Sikh turbans and support a change” at its next meeting.
According to reports, FIBA will discuss this issue at an August 27th meeting in Spain.
As per ifnormation the Sikh Coalition supporters in the United States had sent over 1,000 messages to their elected representatives in the U.S. Congress to raise awareness about this important issue.
If FIBA officially ends its ban on Sikh turbans, this will ensure that Sikh basketball players will not have to choose between their religion and their athletic careers.
READ LETTER: