THE Terengganu government said there were challenges in fully enforcing guidelines for shariah-compliant sports attire among Muslim athletes, due to constraints imposed by international sports regulations.

State Youth, Sports and Non-Governmental Organisation Development Committee chairman Hishamuddin Abdul Karim said the Terengganu government launched guidelines for entertainment, cultural performances, tourism and sports in March 2020, which highlighted standards for Muslim athletes and coaches.

“For non-Muslim athletes, it is recommended they dress modestly, avoiding tight, short, or revealing outfits,” he said at the assembly sitting in Kuala Terengganu today.

He was responding to a question by Tengku Muhamad Fakhruddin Tengku Md Fauzi (PAS-Sura) about the state government’s modest attire standards for sports events in the state.

Hishamuddin said the state government was committed to enforcing shariah-compliant sports policies, adding that the shariah-compliant concept had to be modified to a more lenient and educational “shariah-friendly” approach.

“However, we are still maintaining the decision not to allow female athletes to participate in gymnastics due to the body-revealing nature of the attire. We hope everyone respects our stance. Our concern is not against the sport itself, but enabling female athletes to participate in such conditions is deemed inappropriate,” he said. – Bernama, October 4, 2023.