Raptors launch sports hijab

Ottawa: The NBA champion Toronto Raptors have released a sports hijab featuring the team’s logo, inspired by a group of Muslim women athletes in the Canadian city. Members of the Hijabi Ballers were featured in the video announcing the product, which was posted on the Raptors Twitter account on Friday. The Hijabi Ballers project, based in the Greater Toronto Area, seeks to recognize and celebrate the athleticism of Muslim girls and women. “There was a story about them that came out during the playoffs in the Star talking about how we connect with our diverse group of fans, and that’s where the idea came from,” Jerry Ferguson, senior director of marketing for the Raptors’ parent company Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, told the Toronto Star. The Raptors said the Nike-made hijab designed for sports and featuring the club’s claw-footed basketball logo will be available for sale at the team’s Scotiabank Arena. Amreen Kadwa, founder of the Hijabi Ballers, said support from the Raptors is making girls feel welcome in that space.