Cancellation of Islamic Games fuels ‘Islamophobia’ in DFW
Community leader says 'nothing unlawful or un-American about the games'
Amid public uproar, the unity-building Islamic Games, scheduled to take place in May at Colleyville Heritage High School in Dallas-Fort Worth, have been cancelled over one of the sponsors’ alleged links to terrorism.
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD officials “severed negotiations” with an Islamic group seeking to host an all-ages sporting tournament at a local high school, a district spokesperson told the Fort Worth Report on Tuesday.
School officials cancelled the event after learning that CAIR, a sponsor, was designated as a terrorist organization by the governor last year, according to spokesperson Nicole Lyons.
But organizers of the Islamic Games said CAIR “has never been, and is not presently, a sponsor, partner, affiliate or supporter” of the sports festival.
“We are deeply concerned that a sporting event for children is being targeted,” Salaudeen Nausrudeen, president of Islamic Games, said in an email to the Report. “It is our hope that better minds prevail.”
Islamic Games officials requested to use the Colleyville Heritage High School to host its Dallas chapter’s gaming event in May, Lyons said. The facility reservation was in negotiation and not yet finalized before district officials learned Monday of CAIR’s alleged sponsorship, she said.
The event was described by organizers as a multi-sport competition and lists more than 110 sponsors.
Community member Jeff Hall, who has participated in public discussions about GCISD policies, wrote on Facebook that much has been said about the Islamic Games scheduled for Colleyville.
By all available accounts, according to Hall, the event was meant to be a community athletic gathering—a family-oriented field day focused on recreation, competition, and fellowship.
“There is nothing unlawful about that. There is nothing un-American about that.”
Hall, however, said that the level of outrage in parts of our community has been significant.
“While public concern is understandable, it is important that we respond rationally rather than emotionally,” he wrote.
Hall said a community organization entered into an agreement to rent district facilities for a weekend…what matters is that the facilities were rented pursuant to district policy. “That rental, by the way, produces revenue for GCISD, benefiting students and taxpayers alike.”
Just as importantly, Hall said the religious identity of the group involved should not be a factor in whether the rental is permitted.
“The Constitution is unambiguous on this point. We should be, too. Government entities may not exclude otherwise lawful users of public facilities based on religion. To do so would violate our American values,” he wrote.
Hall noted that concerns arose when it was discovered that one of the event’s sponsors had associations that many found deeply troubling. Those concerns were legitimate and deserved to be taken seriously. No public school district should knowingly host events sponsored by organizations connected to terrorism or violence.
“But that concern was addressed. The sponsor in question was removed promptly and without public resistance. Once that corrective action was taken, the underlying issue was resolved.
“At that point, continued outrage ceases to be about safety or legality and begins to drift into something else—something that all Americans should be cautious about: government overreach and unequal treatment under the law,” he wrote.