IS ouster clears way for football comeback in Iraq’s Mosul
It was a grim time for football: jihadists observed matches, jerseys from foreign teams were banned and even whistling was prohibited when the Islamic State group held Iraq's Mosul. Play was halted for prayers, which occur five times a day, and shorts that exposed players' knees were also banned by IS. Now, eastern Mosul has […]It was a grim time for football: jihadists observed matches, jerseys from foreign teams were banned and even whistling was prohibited when the Islamic State group held Iraq's Mosul.
Play was halted for prayers, which occur five times a day, and shorts that exposed players' knees were also banned by IS.
Now, eastern Mosul has been recaptured from the jihadists and efforts are underway to rehabilitate football pitches, even as the battle for the city's west continues on the other side of the Tigris River.
