But the Europeans saw the games or “bodies in motion” as “an affront to Christianity, and a barrier to conversion”. The complex relationship that sport and religion have had over the centuries continues to this day. She decided to pull out of the Asian Airgun Shooting Championship in Iran last year because of the compulsory hijab rule for women participants. But religion can be far more stifling—and the process of any change there can be far more cumbersome and protracted. Sport and religion, however, have not always been on a collision course.

Source: Mint May 11, 2017 19:41 UTC