VIRGINIA BEACH: Sikhs continue to make “headway as their rights to wear their turbans is being upheld in most instances. Even though some officials are unaware of the religious and traditional meaning of the turban they are constantly being educated as Sikhs from many walks of life exercise their religious freedom.

On day after basketball officials ruled that a ninth-graders turban violated “regulation headwear” protests by Capte Henry Collegiate administrators reversed the call recently

As a result Vikram Singh will be wearing his turban when Cape Henrys junior varsity basketball team is host to Norfolk Catholic.

Singh is a practicing Sikh who wears his uncut hair bound under at urban as part of the Sikh religious beliefs. He declined to be interviewed.

But Cape Henrys headmaster Daniel Richardson said his school was prepared to forfeit its remaining games this season had the ban against Singh’s turban remained in effect.

“We have a strong sense of community and diversity at our school and feel that every student is a part of that community and that sport is an extension of our program” Richardson said. “How could I not stand up for the right of a student?”

Singh had worn the turban while playing for two years without incident until the recent game against Nansemond-Suffolk Academy when an official who was to call the varsity game later in the evening saw Singh on the court wearing the turban.

Cape Henrys athletic director Dave Cameron said the referee told him that the turban did not fall under regulation headwear and that a headband of any type can only be 2 inches wide and must be the same color as the player’s uniform.

The referee asked the athletic director to tell Singh to cither remove the turban or leave the game. Cameron refused Singh played and during the game Cameron called Dick Bowie head of the South eastern Officials Association the governing body for area referees. Cameron said Bowie agreed with the ruling.

“When my conversation with Dick ended there was no given on either end” Cameron said. “He told me he’d inform his referees of the situation in preparation for our last two junior varsity games and I told him that we were prepared to forfeit them in protest.

But the association backed down. Cameron said Bowie informed Cape Henry officials that Singh would be allowed to finish the season weaning the turban.

Article extracted from this publication >> December 18, 1992