A London borough mayor has praised a charity fun-run which banned women and girls aged over 12 as "truly inspiring".
After Sunday's Muslim Charity Run, mayor Lutfur Rahman said: "It was a pleasure to attend the prize-giving ceremony at the 12th Muslim Charity Run in Victoria Park, London, organised by the East London Mosque.
"Over 1,600 runners of all ages and abilities participated, raising funds for 40 different charities - a truly inspiring community effort!"
The East London Mosque had prohibited women and teenage girls from participating in the five-kilometre race.
The event attracted more than 1,600 participants who raised money for 40 different charitable organisations
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The event attracted more than 1,600 participants, despite the gender restrictions that limited participation to males of any age and females under 12.
When challenged at the event about the exclusion of women, Mr Rahman said: "What is important is that they have brought communities together - there is no room for criticism."
He continued: "There's room for celebration and congratulating the fact that youngsters from a very young age to an elder who is 94 participated."
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PICTURED: Lutfur Rahman unveils a plaque during the opening of Tower Hamlets Town Hall to celebrate the diversity of the borough
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The Equality and Human Rights Commission has now launched an assessment of the case, with a spokeswoman confirming: "We consider each [complaint] carefully and take action where appropriate."
Tower Hamlets Council has also intervened, contacting the mosque to request immediate clarification about the age and gender restrictions.
Women's rights advocates have condemned the exclusion policy, with Kellie-Jay Keen of the Party Of Women calling it "plainly unlawful" and arguing it "reinforces regressive sexist attitudes towards women's place in public life."
The Women's Policy Centre described the ban as "appalling", whilst Baroness Shaista Gohir OBE, heading the Muslim Women's Network UK, suggested the mosque was "likely" breaching equality legislation.
PICTURED: Victoria Park, where the run took place
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The mosque defended its policy, with a spokesman saying: "The suggestion that our event breaches the Equality Act is entirely incorrect."
They argued that "single-gender sporting events are lawful under Section 195 and Schedule 23 of the Act", citing examples including the Women's Run Series and Nike Women's 10K.
Rahman led Tower Hamlets Borourh Council between 2008 and 2010 for the Labour Party.
He was selected by Labour to contest the borough's 2010 mayoral election, but was dropped after allegations of links to a fundamentalist group and of signing up ineligible voters for the selection process came to light.
He then won the election as an independent candidate, then won again in 2014.
But a year later, his 2014 win was declared null and void when the Election Court reported Rahman to be "personally guilty" of "corrupt or illegal practices, or both".
He went onto found the Aspire Party, which controversially fielded only Bangladeshi or Bangladeshi-heritage candidates in 2022.
He was reelected that year as Tower Hamlets Mayor for Aspire after his ban from standing expired.
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