The advertisement made it clear that the race is only for men, boys of all ages and girls under 12
Staff reporter, Daily Dawn, Dawn TV report
London: There has been a strong reaction to the ban on women from participating in a charity run in the UK. The race was organized by an East London mosque in a London park.
British Communities Minister Steve Reid called the decision completely unacceptable, saying that it is regrettable to prevent women from running with men in a public place.
The charity run was the mosque’s annual five-kilometer fundraising event, and the advertisement made it clear that the race was only for men, boys of all ages and girls under 12.
There was widespread criticism on social media, with calls for the Equality and Human Rights Commission to investigate whether the move breached UK equality laws.
Steve Reid said, “I am as shocked and saddened by this incident as anyone; it is unacceptable that women should be prevented from running in public for pleasure.”
He added that if the EHRC found a breach of the law, there could be consequences and penalties.
The mosque’s management said in a statement that it “encourages women to take part in sport” and was committed to understanding the needs of the community, but did not provide a direct explanation for Sunday’s specific event.
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