CONFUSION over proper attire overshadowed the Asian Youth Games (AYG) Fiba 33 basketball competition for the second day running when a player donning a hijab (headscarf) was told she could not play.

Kuwait had again to compete in the 3-on-3 event without captain and top player Rabab Abdullah.

The point guard had to watch from the sidelines as her team lost 0-33 to Japan on Wednesday at Anglican High School.

On Thursday, she had to sit on the sidelines again as her team fell 4-33 to South Korea in a match played at 12.45pm.

Yet the Bahrain team, with three of their members donning the hijab, were allowed to take on China (2.15pm) and play a rescheduled match against India (5pm). Bahrain lost the two matches 0-33 and 2-34 respectively.

Then, four athletes donning the hijab - three from Bahrain and one from Kuwait - were not allowed to take to the court after they were deemed not properly attired.

The wearing of the hijab contravenes international regulations governing the sport. Section 4.4.2 of basketball world governing body Federation Internationale de Basketball's (Fiba) Official Basketball Rules prohibits headgear and hair accessories.

But the matter was thought to have been resolved - the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) decided on Wednesday night to allow athletes at the AYG to compete in the headscarf - until it surfaced again on Thursday.

Kuwait's coach, Mr Yousef Khaled, was frustrated about the discrepancy in rules. The rules had in fact been relaxed at 7pm on Wednesday after the Bahrain team and their chef-de-mission, Mr Sameer Shawaiter, met OCA officials.

Mr Shawaiter argued that international rules should apply to world-level competitions and not regional ones like the AYG. He added: 'We had also pointed out that it's not like the hijab is a form of head protection. It's just a scarf.'

Please read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.