Soraya Aghaeihajiagha of Iran returns the shuttlecock against Khulangoo Bataar of Mongolia during their wonen’s singles badminton. (Source: AP File)

Qatar have pulled out of the women’s basketball competition at the Asian Games in South Korea after they were denied permission to wear the Islamic headscarf, an official with the Qatari delegation told Reuters on Thursday.

The Qatari players had been asked to remove the hijab before their group game against Mongolia on Wednesday but refused, leaving Incheon organisers no option but to declare a forfeit.

Under International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rules, Article 4.2.2 dictates players cannot wear “headgear, hair accessories and jewellery”.

With no sign that the rule would be relaxed ahead of their next scheduled match against Nepal, Qatar decided not to go ahead with all their remaining games at the 17th Asiad, which is being run under the slogan: ‘Diversity Shines Here’.

“We have decided not to take part in the remainder of the Asian Games women’s basketball competition,” an assistant with Qatar’s National Olympic Committee told Reuters by telephone.

Competition at the Asian Games is conducted under the regulations of sports’ international governing bodies, meaning athletes in other sports are free to wear the hijab.

All four bronze medal-winning rowers of Iran’s lightweight women’s quadruple sculls team wore hijabs on Wednesday, while Kuwait’s Najlaa I M Aljerewi and Iran’s Aghaei Hajiagha Soraya wore them in the triathlon and badminton events on Thursday.

Basketball remains one of the exceptions, though FIBA said earlier this month it had held discussions on the issue and was introducing a two-year ‘testing phase’ on what players can wear, though that would only apply at national level.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) issued a statement on Wednesday saying: “The right of the athletes must be the highest priority.”

Sports federations had a duty to protect athletes and “allow them to exercise their right of freedom of choice with dignity,” OCA director general Husain Al-Musallam added in a statement.