ビーチバレーのビキニ禁止騒動は「プロパガンダ」―カタール大会側

【ドーハＡＦＰ＝時事】FIVBビーチバレーワールドツアーのカタール大会が8日に同国ドーハで開幕した中、大会主催者は、ビキニ禁止の服装規定をめぐる騒動について、「プロパガンダ」であると主張した。（写真はFIVBビーチバレーワールドツアー、カタール大会に臨むドイツ（左）とノルウェーの女子選手）
　カタール大会をめぐっては、国際バレーボール連盟（ＦＩＶＢ）が大会に向けて示したユニホーム規定で、女子選手に「袖の短いＴシャツと膝丈のショートパンツの着用」が求められていたことから、先月に一部の選手から批判の声が上がっていた。
　ドイツ代表のカーラ・ボルゲルとジュリア・スードは、この規定が明らかにビキニを禁止するものであると指摘し、カタール大会をボイコットする意向を示した。
　しかしながら、ＦＩＶＢはその後、「女子選手が普段通りのユニホームを着用することに制限はない」とするカタール・バレーボール協会（ＱＶＡ）の言質が取れたと発表。そして大会はこの日、選手がビキニを着用する中で幕を開けた。
　大会責任者のムハンマド・サレム・クワリ氏は、「イスラム国家として、われわれにはいくつかの慣例がある」とした上で、「ＦＩＶＢと協議したのは、特に夜間には冷え込むこの時期に選手たちを迎えるならば、長袖のシャツやパンツを着用させる権利を認めてはどうかということだ」と説明し、「ビーチバレーの女性委員が、（決定の）妥協案を出した」と述べた。
　クワリ氏はまた、２０１９年にカタールで行われたワールドビーチゲームズでも特に規定は設けられていなかったと指摘し、「われわれは以前にも大会を開催しており、例えばＡＮＯＣゲームズでは、選手たちはユニホームに関して何も強制されなかった。長袖のシャツを着ていたチームもいれば、そうでなかったチームもいた」と強調した。
　「一部のメディアや人は、別の目的で、プロパガンダを行っているが、それは全く真実に基づいていない」【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】

〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/03/10-14:29）

The organiser of a beach volleyball tournament in Qatar called a dispute over a dress code which would have banned bikinis propaganda as matches got underway in Doha on Monday.
Qatar had faced criticism from some players last month after the International Volleyball Federation updated its official dress code to require women wear a short sleeve t-shirt... and wear knee-long sports shorts.
Germany's Karla Borger and Julia Sude said they would skip the FIVB World Tour competition in the conservative Muslim nation over the apparent ban on bikinis.
However the FIVB subsequently said that the Qatari organisers gave assurances that there were no restrictions on female players wearing standard uniforms and the competition between bikini-wearing athletes began on Monday, AFP correspondents saw.
Here we have some traditional ways as a Muslim country, said tournament general coordinator Mohammed Salem al-Kuwari.
We just discussed with the FIVB if we can have (for) the players during this time, especially when it's cold in the evening... a right to wear the long sleeves and also trousers that stretch.
The women's committee in beach volleyball made (the decision) between them.
Kuwari said there had been no restrictions at the 2019 ANOC World Beach Games which were also held in Qatar.
We hosted a tournament before and nobody was forced anyone to wear anything, for example the ANOC (beach) games. Some teams wore long sleeves, some didn't, he said.
Some media, some people for another purpose, they made propaganda for that, but it's not the truth totally... (we have) not forced for anyone to do anything against FIVB rules, he added.
Qatar has a succesful national men's volleyball team but no women's equivalent although women do play in a domestic league.
Since we won the hosting (rights) of the 2030 Asian games here, we have a plan now with the young mini girls (for) a Qatari national team... to represent Qatar, said Kuwari.
Russia's Natalia Mikhalchenkova, a member of the tournament organising committee who has played in Qatar domestically for two years, said of the players who decided to boycott Doha that it was their loss.
It's about volleyball, not bikinis, she added.
The tournament is being held without fans amid tight coronavirus prevention measures including mandatory masks for non-players and the use of a compulsory contact tracing app.
During this pandemic, for one year now, there has been no FIVB tournament until now, said Kuwari, a former member of the Qatar national men's team.
Everybody is happy that the tournament is back again this Olympic year.