Tajik coach says police forced ban of bearded player in crackdown
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By Olga Tutubalina, The Associated Press | The Canadian Press
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan - Tajikistan police have forced a topflight player to be banned because he has a beard, according to the coach of his team.
Khayr Vakhdat coach Tokhir Muminov said he has been unable to select Parviz Tursunov for the opening two rounds of the season while there are problems with the police over his appearance.
However, the Interior Ministry denies issuing any order to prevent bearded soccer players from playing and said any officers caught intimidating citizens would be punished.
"While he settles this issue with his beard, his absence is having a negative effect on the team's performance, " Muminov said.
Authorities in the mainly Muslim former Soviet nation have taken strict measures to stamp out any signs of religious extremism, with police reportedly sometimes rounding up bearded young men.
In January, about 30 bearded men were detained by police in one area of the capital, Dushanbe. An Interior Ministry spokesman later claimed police were trying to establish the men's identity as their appearance differed from that in their documents.
Tursunov, a devout Muslim, said he would rather give up soccer than his beard.
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"Football is secular, but we should think about the eternal," Tursunov said.
Khayr Vakhdat has won both games despite Tursunov's absence after beating last-place Parvoz Bobojon Ghafurov 3-0 on Sunday.
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