WHORUN THEWORLD?
The face of women’s sport in the Middle East is changing, and these regional athletes are leading the charge
For too long we have seen the sporting landscape as male dominated with little coverage given to female sporting events. The lack of media exposure does not only slow down the progress of banishing misconceptions of women in sport, but it can also discourage young girls from viewing sport as a career.
However, over the past few years we have seen the publicity grow and a lot of that is down to the Muslim athletes like figure skater Zahra Lari, marathon runner Manal Rostom and footballer Houriya Al Tahri. They are transforming the conversation and challenging stereotypes to the point where global brands like Nike feel the necessity to cater to Arab women in sport with the release of the Nike Pro Hijab in 2017.
“Women are strong achievers and it’s just beautiful to see the narrative completely change to support diversity, gender equality and inclusivity,” says Manal. “I am bit biased as I have always fought for the presence of Muslim, Hijabi women in sports just to demolish the negative image of Muslim women worldwide being too lazy, boring or uncool. I think Nike took the plunge and just did it by coming out with a performance Hijab in 2017 and saying ‘look these women exist, they have a talent and they need to perform well in their relative sports’. So many brands are following into the lead of this.”
“Also – it’s not just about the hijab but rather giving women a greater platform to be whoever they want, dream crazy and not be called crazy. Just passionate about life and their calling,” she adds.
Egyptian-born, Dubai-based marathoner, mountaineer and running coach, Manal has achieved many firsts in her career. She became the first athlete ever to compete in a New York City Marathon wearing a Nike Pro Hijab, the first Arab to be featured on the Global Nike+ Run Club App and through her online community Surviving Hijab she gathered 14 different women from around the world to lead an all-female expedition to the Everest Base
Camp. But none of her achievements came without their challenges: “I think the challenges started to surface when I embraced the hijab at 21. No one ever imagined I would continue being so in love with sports with the hijab on for some reason. Everyone assumed I would lose my sense of style or even passion for sports as I fall into the trap of ‘it’s too hot’ ‘too many layers’ etc. I made a mental vow not to let this prevent me from chasing my dreams and passion. I was always the only hijabi in a marathon or a triathlon but just look at how far we have come to change this perception.”
The perception of sportswomen in the region has shifted significantly which has further shined the light on women in sport around the world. “Things in the UAE have changed tremendously for women in sport,” comments Emirati champion figure skater Zahra Lari. “If we go back two years, it was something very wrong for a woman to be doing sport. Now, however, you see women taking up all kinds of sport. I would love to see women in the future competing at the highest level. I want to see Emirati women winning Olympic medals.”
Not only is Zahra the world’s first figure skater to compete in a hijab, but she was also the UAE’s first figure skater to participate in the winter qualifications last year. She led the UAE to become the first Arab state to join the International Skating Union and she has also inspired around 100 Emirati women to hit the ice at the Emirates Skating Club opened by her parents. Not bad for a 24-year-old.
“Since I was a kid, my parents taught me that nothing good in life comes easy. That I have to work really hard to get what I want and that was a very important lesson. Sport is not easy, waking up at 4:30am every day to train is not easy, but it’s what will make me the best that I can be. That’s how champions are made.”
This summer is going to be busy for sportswomen competing in the Women’s Ashes and the FIFA Women’s World Cup. One athlete that knows the strength and resilience it takes to be a competitive footballer is Emirati Houriya Al Tahri who became the first Arab female football expert in FIFA. She is also technical director in the Women’s Football Committee, is the head coach of the UAE’s under-15 girls team and established a football academy in the UAE for boys and girls.
“Being an athlete and participating in all the competitions changed my personality and I had to face a lot challenges,” she says. “The new generation needs stories and role models to help them become champions. Social media can be the biggest influencer for that.”
The coverage of these events on various media platforms can be pivotal in encouraging more outlets to champion female athletes and Manal feels there’s definitely room for more. “I think from a diversity and inclusivity point of view; all fashion magazines need to shed light on female athletes who are crushing it. Showcase a side of them that may not be apparent to the general public. Fine they are always in sports clothes but why not dress them up and show that side of them?”
The shift needs to happen to not only promote diversity, but to encourage young ambitious players to lace up their sneakers/ ice skates/football boots and start stomping towards their crazy dream. “Try and you will be the best in something. It might not be my sport, but find your passion because as humans we are all talented in some areas. Know that, and practice,” says Houriya.
Women belong in sport now more than ever and instead of fitting into the main stream, these athletes are creating their own platforms for the next generation to grow with the belief that they can achieve the impossible. “I would love for the younger generation, the small kids, the little girls to be able to follow and be inspired by a hardcore athlete who advocates perseverance, grit and hard work,” says Manal.
“I think it’s extremely important in today’s society to support each other,” adds Zahra “It’s important that women support women and to encourage them instead of bringing them down. We really need to stick to each other and show that us women are unstoppable.”