Illinois law will allow athletes to modify uniforms for cultural, religious reasons

September 27, 2021

Illinois is the first state to adopt a new law providing students flexibility to modify their sports uniforms.

The Inclusive Athletic Attire Act allows student athletes, male or female, the freedom to modify sports uniforms according to their cultural, religious, physical comfort and modesty preferences without the need for a waiver or a penalty.

"I started running cross country in my freshman year of high school. That was the year I started wearing hijab (Islamic head covering)," said Ayah Aldadah, 21, a student athlete at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who testified in favor of the law before a House committee hearing in March. "I know that I am representing a lot of Muslim girls who probably would want to do the same, but they don't know (if they can)."

Source: Illinois law will allow athletes to modify uniforms for cultural, religious reasons