MOSUL, Iraq—After months of fighting, Mosul residents can finally practice their favorite game again at a soccer field in the eastern part of the city—and this time without the restrictions imposed by ISIS terrorists.
The venue was closed for almost four months while Iraqi forces and militants fought a fierce battle for the city. Signs of war are still visible, with broken windows and damaged fences surrounding the field and with holes in the rooftop of the canteen.
“It was closed for three to four months and we reopened after the liberation,” said Abu Laith Mohammed, the manager of the soccer field.
The field was allowed to stay open when ISIS controlled the area, but the militants imposed strict rules on the game, including a dress code that forced players to cut teams’ insignia from their jerseys and a ban on referees’ whistles.
“It wasn’t as much fun,” said 26-year-old Obeyda Mohammed after he finished a game one afternoon with his friends. “They introduced new rules that never existed in sports before.”
The players weren’t allowed to wear logos or brand names on soccer shirts because the militants considered them to be idolatrous.
