 Caught between Sania Mirza’s rising fame and her attire, Islamic clerics in the city felt compelled to comment on both. Urdu papers covering Mirza’s third round triumph in the US Open carried modest legless shots of the 18-year-old, in a mixed sentiment that reflects the mood of the conservatives. "We are all proud of Sania’s achievements and want her to do well," said Aslam Razi, advisory member of Jamaat-e-Islaami. "At the same time we can’t understand why she should be wearing the kind of dress she wears on court."
| "There's no possibility the two could be connected, of course..." |
Many like him can’t fathom why Mirza cannot look like the devout Muslim she claims to be on court. "Is there a dress code that says the skirts should be smaller and shirts tighter?" asked Razi. "Why can’t she wear the long skirts and full sleeve shirts that players I’ve seen 25 years ago used to wear on court?"
| "Why can't she just play tennis back in the seraglio? Why does she need to play tennis? Why couldn't her father have had a boy? If he had, why wouldn't the lad be off fighting jihad?" |
Maulana Mahmood Dariabadi of Ulema Council, a body of scholars, said, "It is a sport, not a fashion parade. If people are troubled by her dress she ought to cover herself and play."
| If people are troubled by her dress, why don't they listen to the games on the radio? |
Shodhan, a Marathi weekly managed by a Muslim trust has refrained from publishing any of Mirza’s photos "because it will offend sensibilities".
| Okay. We'll do it for you. Arseholes. |
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