No medals for hijabi athletes at London Olympics - Game over? No.

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.

Hijab bans play foul!

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Hijabified footballers

FIFA finally approves proper hijab (and not a modified version of it) for all female footballers who wish to wear it. And to commemorate this historic rule change, which honestly I thought would never see the light of day, I have put together some photos of the good people of the beautiful game... all sporting hijab.

Take a look..

(Apologies for the poor editing.. I do not have photoshop.. someone else with minimal skill could have done this alot better than I did.)

 

1. Hope Solo (USA)

Rated as one of the best goalkeepers in the women's game, Hope Solo had to appear first on my list. Looks lovely in turquoise.



2. Players of the Norwegian team 

I'm ashamed to say I do not know their names or their level of skill as much as I know of the more popular USA team... But the hijabee one looks like she does a good job at dribbling and keeping tacklers at bay.



 

3. Lionel Messi (Argentina & Barcelona FC)

Ok so the hijab rule applies only to women (both FIFA-ly and Islamically) but no football list would be complete without him.



4. Sepp Blatter (FIFA PRESIDENT)

And the man, without whose approval, hijab on the pitch would have been only a pipedream. Looks pretty happy with his fabulous grey hijab...



Seriously though, I'm really glad this ban has been lifted. Football being one of the major sports, and FIFA the largest sporting body, this rule change in favour of "proper" hijab speaks volumes about the current sports conditions at the elite level. Hopefully paving the way for more Muslimah athletes in all sporting disciplines.

FIFA lifts ban on full hijab

A petition started by Rahaf Owais, a staffer at Jordanian Football Association gained more than 15000 signatures to campaign against the FIFA ban on headscarves.

Previously, FIFA only allowed a cap-like covering and forbade any garments over the neck and ears for "safety" measures. This rule resulted in both Iran and Jordan teams being disqualified from major matches last year due to players wearing hijab. It affected younger, future international players too such as the 11 year old Canadian who was sent off for wearing hijab a few years ago that contravened FIFA rules during a league match.

Numerous meetings and discussions began between pro-hijab campaigners and FIFA bodies. Like most injustices, all it came down to was lack of education on what hijab really wa. After hijab was clearly differentiated from the enveloping burka and chador, as a more sports-friendly Islamic dress item that covers head, neck and ears, FIFA came to the understanding that hijab was not a safety issue. In fact playing with hijab was no more a safety issue than playing with long hair.

A prototype of a suitable hijab was proposed to FIFA - it covers the head, neck and ears, is tight-fitting, closes with velcro and easily comes off if pulled by another player. (Hmm sounds suspiciously like another sports hijab brand that you may know of beginning with R and ending with n).

The short front friniggi sports hijab designed especially for weightlifter Kulsoom Abdullah, has those qualities too. Except that it is not as tight-fitting and appears more like hijab. It doesn't use velcro or pins. Instead like the long-front friniggi sports hijab it has an inner headband that holds everything in place. And comes in different sizes for more comfy fit. And it slides off when pulled..

The petition was hosted by Change.org, a site with facilities for petitions for any campaign. Thank you to all those who signed the petition after viewing both our blogpost and status post on facebook.

 

 

 

Iran's female NINJAS!

Iran, always at the forefront of Muslim women sports, has another notch to add to their post.
Iranian Ministry of Sport, built ninjutsu clubs where more than 3000 women and girls train in this martial art.

Why the first range is called "Pioneer"

Muslim women in sports, Hijabee athletes, Islamic sportswear, sports hijab...

These are all terms that have only recently made the main spotlight of the global community.
Muslim women in sports in sports hijabs, are still few and far between especially in the professional world of sports.
This range is to celebrate those brave women who stepped out in faith and with their own strong wills, entered the world of professional sports.

They challenged hijab bans, defied the nay-sayers, and are spearheading this revolution.
Such are the likes of Ibtihaj Muhammad, Kulsoom Abdullah (who is not quite pro, but almost), Ruqayah al Ghasrah and many more.

They are the pioneers.

Sign this petition: Allow girls and women to play football wearing headscarves

UPDATE: FIFA lifts ban on hijabs after petition


Sign petition
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT
During youth Olympics Football Tournament in Singapore 2010, FIFA & the executive committee issued that players couldn’t not wear a headscarf - Hijab, However the players may wear a cap that covers the players heads to the hairline, but does not extend below the ears to cover the neck
Girls and Women from many countries were affected by the following decision and were not allowed to play, which was a painful moment to the players from Jordan, Palestine ,Bahrain and Iran during the Olympics Qualification Rounds 2011.

This petition was done to show the community support to women wearing Headscarfs – Hijab playing football. We need everyone's support in this petition to be sent to FIFA and to hope FIFA will reconsider this decision and allow us to play with the Headscarf
خلال دورة الالعاب الاولمبية للشابات 2010 في سنغافورة،أصدرت اللجنة التنفيذية و الفيفا قرار بمنع اللاعبات من ارتداءالحجاب ، و يجوز للاعبات ارتداء قبعة تغطي رأس اللاعبة ، ولكن لا تمتد أسفل الأذنين لتغطية الرقبة.
والفيفا ستصدر قرارا نهائيا مارس 2012 في هذه المسألة، ونحن بهذه العريضة نتمنى جمع اكبر عدد من الاصوات لنبين دعم المجتمع لسمح ارتداء الحجاب في جميع مباريات كرة القدم المحلية والدولية
Sign petition
LET'S CHALLENGE FIFA ON THIS AND END THE HEARTACHE OF MUSLIM FEMALE FOOTBALLERS WHEN THEY ARE DISQUALIFIED OR BANNED FROM COMPETING BECAUSE OF THIS OUTDATED RULE!
Sign petition