QUEBEC - The International Taekwondo Federation says women will be allowed to wear hijabs at an upcoming competition in Quebec City.
About 700 competitors from more than 60 countries, including Iran and Syria, will be taking part in the World Taekwondo Championships beginning May 31.
Federation president Tran Trieu Quan says the authorization is a temporary one because an ad hoc committee will take a closer look at the political and social aspects of allowing the wearing of hijabs.
Another organization, the larger World Taekwondo Federation, was at the centre of a recent controversy when a taekwondo team of Muslim girls withdrew from a Montreal-area tournament because they were barred from taking part with their hijabs.
The Quebec branch of the World Taekwondo Federation, which is recognized by the International Olympic Committee, is asking its governing body to review the rule prohibiting hijabs during competition.
