Led by Congressmen Joe Crowley, Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus, and Ami Bera, the only Indian-American lawmaker, 39 Members of the Congress, in a letter to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), reiterated their support for a change in policy that requires Sikhs and other players to remove their articles of faith, such as turbans, in international competition.
The members also requested an update on FIBA's review of the policy and on the status of the organisation's two-year testing phase announced last fall.
The letter followed an outcry over an incident involving two Sikh players who were told by referees that they must remove their turbans if they were to play in FIBA's Asia Cup.
The players, who have always played in turbans, were told that they were in violation of one of FIBA's official rules, which states, "Players shall not wear equipment (objects) that may cause injury to other players."
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In response to the members' letter and strong public pressure, FIBA announced that it would review the issue and begin a two-year testing phase that would allow players to wear head coverings starting in summer 2015, with an ultimate eye toward a final decision after the 2016 Olympics.
However, despite FIBA's promises about action this summer, there has been no update on the status of the testing phase, the Congressmen said.
"Sikhs participate in a wide variety of sports around the globe, and there has not been a single instance of someone being harmed or injured by a turban. Even at the amateur and professional levels, Sikhs have played sports without a problem," the letter said.