By Fatima Fakier for friniggi Sportswear for Muslim Women
Read this article in HIJABLOOK.COM
Much noise has been made in the media about the two Saudi female athletes, the judoka Wojdan Shaherkani, and runner Sarah Attar finally being allowed to compete in the London Olympics.
Most of the media chatter was around the fact that these were the first female representatives of the conservative Kingdom and what a big leap this was for women's sports in the Islamic world.
Positive hype cheered on about Muslim women competing in the Olympics with hijab. Barriers were being broken. Of course, there is a flip side to everything, and negative hype begins to emerge from the ashes of the London Olympics torch.
Muslim women in hijab competing in sports cannot break the stereotype ingrained in the public's mind. They are exotic, oppressed. They wear hijab because their patriarchal authorities force them to. This stereotype can only be erased with education on who Muslim women who choose hijab really are. That education happens when the world witnesses the choices made by hijabi athletes who compete despite all the barriers, stereotypes and negative media hype.
Apparently the sporting world would be a better place if athletes from any background would adhere to the current standards of dress code, that does not have any religious restrictions. A standard that is formed by the authoritarian figures and organisations that govern the sporting world, much like the authoritarian governments in the Islamic world. Isn't that a double standard right there?
This is the double barrier hijabi athletes face. The barriers within their own communities forcing them to not particiapte in sports and then the barrier in the global community that forces them to adhere to their standards of what a united sporting world should look like. Despite the facts, the very real truths, that there are women who choose hijab on their own and also choose to compete. Yet they do not fit into the 'mould' of the sporting world.
If sports unites, then the London Olympic Games, though not perfect due to its female quotas, is the picture of sporting unity despite background, culture or religion. It is a come-as-you-are-and-compete type of picture.
Yes, female athletes from conservative Islamic countries were sent to the Olympics not because they qualified out of merit, but only because their countries had to meet a quota system before being allowed to compete at all. Many of these quota athletes wore hijab, either due to their countries conditions or out of their own.
Yes, many Muslim women competed in the history of the Olympic Games without hijab, and won medals. They qualified for the Games too. They were not part of the quota system. They chose not to wear hijab. Some achieved Olympic firsts for their country. Turkey's Cakir Alptekin won Gold in 1500m event, the country's first Olympic medal in athletics.
But undoubtedly, there are many Muslim girls who choose hijab, and dream of competing at the elite level. If the quota system wasn't in place forcing conservative countries to send hijabi athletes, and if these countries didn't comply, these Muslim girls would not have a vision to hold on to.
The two Saudi athletes did not do well at the London Olympics, but they gave hope to future generations of Muslim female atheltes who were watching them, and who thought: "It is possible for me to choose hijab and choose to compete."
And that is what it's about. It's about change. And change does not happen overnight. In the world of Muslim female athletes in hijab, there are barriers within their community and outside of their community that they have to break just to get that chance. It's like trying to win Gold with just one shot left. No qualifying, no heats. Just one shot.
The friniggi vision was always a world I pictured twenty years from now. Muslim women competing in hijab, modest and fit. Qualifying out of merit and not because of a quota system. Winning medals and fans everywhere. Competing alongside non-hijabis, and non-Muslims, united by the sport they love.
It starts here, with small steps. Hijab bans lifted one by one. Countries seeing positive change in their own communities removing cultural barriers one by one. Until that vision becomes a reality.
Perhaps, one day there'll be a hijabi athlete for a non-Islamic secular country competing at the elite level, bringing pride to her homeland.
That is what it's about. Being able to compete despite background, culture, religion for whatever country you belong to. Right now there are arab athletes who are american citizens, competing for arab countries. But what about the Muslim american athlete, wearing hijab out of choice, competing for secular America? Oh wait, that's Ibtihaj Muhammad:)
The friniggi vision is here.
