Iraq’s religious conservatives condemn Karbala football stadium ceremony
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iraq and Lebanon kicked off the first match of the West Asia Football Federation (WAFF) championship at Iraq’s Karbala International Stadium on Tuesday.
While spectators were busy celebrating Iraq’s 1-0 victory in the Shiite holy city, the nation’s religious authorities were virulently condemning the game’s opening ceremony, which featured female musicians and dancers.
Photo: Iraqi Football Association / Facebook
The ceremony included three dancers, two women and one man, dressed head to toe in the colors of the Iraqi national flag. It also featured a female musician who performed a rendition of the Iraqi national anthem on a black violin.
However, Iraq’s Shiite endowment office and several political leaders criticized the ceremony – without clearly stating what they had taken issue with. They appear to have found the women’s performance in the holy city to be immodest and disrespectful.
Photo: Iraqi Football Association / Facebook
The Shiite endowment office released a statement on Thursday calling for a stop “unethical behavior” in the holy city.
“We sadly received the news of the clear violation to the sanctity of holy city of Karbala during the opening ceremony of a sport championship in Karbala stadium,” the Shiite endowment office said.
“Everybody in the holy city of Karbala is responsible for protecting the sanctity of the city and the Shiite figure’s holy graves that are present in Karbala.”
While spectators were busy celebrating Iraq’s 1-0 victory in the Shiite holy city, the nation’s religious authorities were virulently condemning the game’s opening ceremony, which featured female musicians and dancers.
The ceremony included three dancers, two women and one man, dressed head to toe in the colors of the Iraqi national flag. It also featured a female musician who performed a rendition of the Iraqi national anthem on a black violin.
However, Iraq’s Shiite endowment office and several political leaders criticized the ceremony – without clearly stating what they had taken issue with. They appear to have found the women’s performance in the holy city to be immodest and disrespectful.
The Shiite endowment office released a statement on Thursday calling for a stop “unethical behavior” in the holy city.
“We sadly received the news of the clear violation to the sanctity of holy city of Karbala during the opening ceremony of a sport championship in Karbala stadium,” the Shiite endowment office said.
“Everybody in the holy city of Karbala is responsible for protecting the sanctity of the city and the Shiite figure’s holy graves that are present in Karbala.”