TEHRAN - FIFA lifted its suspension of Iran’s girls’ soccer team and the players are now permitted to participate in the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games while observing Islamic dress code.

The team had been denied permission to play in the Youth Olympics because FIFA rules don’t allow players to wear hijab during a match.
“We sent FIFA a sample of our new Islamic dress and fortunately they accepted it. They announced that there was no objection if the players covered their hair with hats,” Abbas Torabian director of the International Relations Committee of Iran Football Federation said.
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke had initially rejected the Iranian Olympic panel’s request regarding hijab. He had said the FIFA executive committee had “no choice but to take the decision.”
Now that the matter has been resolved Iran will participate in a six-nation tournament for girls in Singapore from August 12 to 25. About 3,600 athletes, ages 14 to 18, will compete in 26 sports.