India's Sikh Basketball Player TJ Sahi To Play With Full Grown Hair Thanks To Ban On Turbans

One of India's leading basketball players, Talwinderjit Singh Sahi, has decided to play international matches for the country as a keshdhari - a Sikh with fully-grown long hair. The 29-year-old has taken this step to protest against world basketball governing body FIBA's ban on headgear during international tournaments. Sahi wants the world body to lift the ban.

Facebook/Talwinder Jit Singh Sahi

In 2014, at the 5th FIBA Asia Cup in Wuhan, China, two Indian Sikh hoopsters Amritpal Singh and Amjyot Singh were humiliated by the tournament officials, who had forced the duo to remove their turban before the start of a match. In fact, they were stopped from entering the court moments before India were to open their campaign.Consequently, Fiba banned headgear in international matches, leading to worldwide protest from Sikh organisations.

"After the turban controversy in 2014, all Sikh players, including me, cut our hair. But for the past one year, I have been growing my hair. Ideally, I want to wear a turban and play international matches, but I know Fiba wouldn't allow me. So I have decided to tie my hair and wear a band, while playing. I want to play with my full-grown hair," Sahi is quoted as saying by TOI.

facebook/Talwinder Jit Singh Sahi

"I am doing this to pro test against FIBA's ban on headgears. I hope this will convey a message to the world basket ball body and they'll lift the ban," he added.

The Patiala lad, who plays in the Indian national team as a point guard, appealed to Sikh cagers from United States, Canada and other countries to keep their hair and send a strong signal to FIBA.

"There are many Sikh basketball players, who play in United States, Canada and different other countries. I request them to start growing their hair and unitedly give a message to the world basketball body against this kind of racial discrimination."

facebook/Talwinder Jit Singh Sahi

Recalling the event, Amjyot said, "Prior to the Asia Cup, we used to wear our turban during international matches. But suddenly, we were asked to remove the turban. That was insulting, humiliating and discriminative."

BCCL

"For me it was quite awful. I had such long hair and cutting them was not easy for me as it was my identity as a Sikh. But, I had to do that because basketball was also like a religion to me. The guilt of not wearing a turban is still there. FIBA should understand and respect our religion and allow us to wear our turban," he added.

BCCL

Similarly, Amritpal Singh, who is the current national team captain, feels it's about time FIBA removes ban on headgears.

"Here it is more about respecting our religion. So many Sikh basketball players have attained glory at the international level. FIBA should relax their rules now and the ban on headgear should be removed," he opined.