tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40945195753707363182024-03-18T07:39:47.584+00:00Muslim Women in SPORTSThe collection of news and articles on Muslim women and sports around the world. I decided to create the blog after I started doing research on the subject and recognized the lacuna of a central repository of collected materials about Muslim women's involvement in physical activities. -Sertaç SehlikogluUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger532125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-7902395656598912152017-10-30T12:39:00.002+00:002017-10-30T12:40:47.840+00:00Saudi women to be allowed into sport stadiums<div data-reactid="52" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px;">
Women in Saudi Arabia will reportedly be allowed to attend sporting events in stadiums next year, according to reports.</div>
<div data-reactid="53" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
They will be allowed into stadiums in the major cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, the BBC reports.</div>
<div data-reactid="54" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
The news come as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman continues to chart a more modern course for the conservative country, which for decades had banned concerts and film screenings and arrested women who attempted to drive.</div>
<div data-reactid="56" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
Since catapulting to power with the support of his father, the king, the prince has pushed forth changes that could usher in a new era for one of the United States' most important allies and swing the kingdom away from decades of ultraconservative dogma and restrictions.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<picture class="article__image" data-reactid="57" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;" title="Hundreds of Saudi Arabian women have for the first time in history attended a sports stadium to mark their country's national day. "><source data-reactid="58" media="(min-width: 1024px)" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/I7DSTdAnyi1behcGcLyzPPalTB8=/800x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F30%2F11%2F24%2F1710230_Saudi.jpg, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/6ZyYs3phD3VI472s1GjgbCu7oS0=/1600x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F30%2F11%2F24%2F1710230_Saudi.jpg 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></source><source data-reactid="59" media="(min-width: 768px)" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/qiSteVXCKp4_YnOfx8R0woqFjRU=/600x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F30%2F11%2F24%2F1710230_Saudi.jpg, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/tj89rLL2niM5LEUjr7LWkB8ySL4=/1200x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F30%2F11%2F24%2F1710230_Saudi.jpg 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></source><source data-reactid="60" media="(min-width: 0px)" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/dzGL9NGH-myEg_4hdnGqWTiBtBw=/500x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F30%2F11%2F24%2F1710230_Saudi.jpg, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/ykg87Ha8K7T950kl6O7hDOZ-mio=/1000x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F30%2F11%2F24%2F1710230_Saudi.jpg 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></source><img alt="Hundreds of Saudi Arabian women have for the first time in history attended a sports stadium to mark their country's national day. " class="article__image" data-reactid="61" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/us6ZiLBnNvRzdL-EUBlLusM62m8=/500xnull/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F30%2F11%2F24%2F1710230_Saudi.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin: 20px 0px 0px; width: 692px;" /></picture></div>
<br />
<figcaption class="article__caption" data-reactid="62" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: -12px; padding: 0px;">Hundreds of Saudi Arabian women have for the first time in history attended a sports stadium to mark their country's national day.</figcaption><br />
<div data-reactid="63" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
He's introduced musical concerts and movies again and is seen as the force behind the king's decision to grant women the right to drive as of next year.</div>
<div data-reactid="64" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
Opposition to the changes has so far been muted, but some of the prince's critics have been detained.</div>
<div data-reactid="65" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
The prince's agenda is upending the ruling Al Saud's longstanding alliance with the kingdom's clerical establishment in favour of synchronising with a more cosmopolitan, global capitalism that appeals to international investors and maybe even non-Muslim tourists.</div>
<div class="article__related" data-reactid="66" style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(234, 234, 234); border-top: 1px solid rgb(234, 234, 234); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px; padding: 16px 0px 16px 16px;">
<h2 data-reactid="67" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Hurme; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-transform: uppercase;">
RELATED ARTICLES</h2>
<ul data-reactid="68" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; padding-left: 1em;">
<li class="related__item" data-reactid="69" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><a data-reactid="70" data-tracking-initialized="true" href="http://www.9news.com.au/world/2017/10/26/05/21/saudia-arabia-500-billion-new-city-plan" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.2s;">'This will be for dreamers': Saudia Arabia's $500b new city</a></li>
<li class="related__item" data-reactid="71" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><a data-reactid="72" data-tracking-initialized="true" href="http://www.9news.com.au/world/2017/10/07/10/34/saudi-women-test-exotic-luxury-cars-after-driving-ban-lifted" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.2s;">Saudi women finally get behind wheel of luxury cars</a></li>
<li class="related__item" data-reactid="73" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px;"><a data-reactid="74" data-tracking-initialized="true" href="http://www.9news.com.au/world/2017/09/27/05/33/saudi-arabia-to-allow-women-to-drive-for-the-first-time" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.2s;">Saudi Arabia to allow women to drive for the first time</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div data-reactid="75" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
The prince grabbed headlines in recent days by vowing a return to "moderate Islam".</div>
<div data-reactid="76" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
He also suggested that his father's generation had steered the country down a problematic path and that it was time to "get rid of it."</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<picture class="article__image" data-reactid="77" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;" title="Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "><source data-reactid="78" media="(min-width: 1024px)" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/QmLNvKLTuYwUQzy7Yj4ejYch4X8=/800x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F18%2F13%2F09%2Fsaudiprince.jpg, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/R3GQBcfLNj7WkukN1Ey13UyORSE=/1600x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F18%2F13%2F09%2Fsaudiprince.jpg 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></source><source data-reactid="79" media="(min-width: 768px)" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/A2daN41s6YqURBAnxb4Iy5oZF68=/600x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F18%2F13%2F09%2Fsaudiprince.jpg, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/SFkEYEVXjwCLN1mRAgcotfC93iQ=/1200x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F18%2F13%2F09%2Fsaudiprince.jpg 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></source><source data-reactid="80" media="(min-width: 0px)" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/1X7b29G-6axa49q053kZcHK77jw=/500x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F18%2F13%2F09%2Fsaudiprince.jpg, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/Cn1AXNhhh_xf6alGd_QrGzPCiAQ=/1000x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F18%2F13%2F09%2Fsaudiprince.jpg 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></source><img alt="Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. " class="article__image" data-reactid="81" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/Q7gz-dGlaHuLx9OiqJYHY2cCElY=/500xnull/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F18%2F13%2F09%2Fsaudiprince.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin: 20px 0px 0px; width: 692px;" /></picture></div>
<br />
<figcaption class="article__caption" data-reactid="82" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: -12px; padding: 0px;">Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.</figcaption><br />
<div data-reactid="83" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
In his sweeping "Vision 2030" plan to wean Saudi Arabia of its near total dependence on petrodollars, Prince Mohammed laid out a vision for "a tolerant country with Islam as its constitution and moderation as its method".</div>
<div data-reactid="84" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
Prince Mohammed, or MBS as he is widely known, used a rare public appearance on stage at a major investor conference in the capital, Riyadh, this week to drive home that message to a global audience.</div>
<div data-reactid="85" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
"We only want to go back to what we were: Moderate Islam that is open to the world, open to all religions," he said.</div>
<div data-reactid="86" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
"We will not waste 30 years of our lives in dealing with extremist ideas. We will destroy them today."</div>
<div data-reactid="87" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
His remarks were met with applause and a front-page article in Britain's <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Guardian</em>newspaper.</div>
<div data-reactid="88" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
In expanded remarks to the paper, the 32-year-old prince said that successive Saudi monarchs "didn't know how to deal with" Iran's 1979 revolution that brought to power a clerical Shiite leadership still in place today.</div>
<div data-reactid="89" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
That same year, Saudi rulers weathered a stunning blow: Sunni extremists laid siege to Islam's holiest site in Mecca for 15 days.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<picture class="article__image" data-reactid="90" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;" title="Women will be allowed in three Saudi Arabian sports stadiums from next year. "><source data-reactid="91" media="(min-width: 1024px)" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/zRjoJoJitr3FjwlDVkhRLYxxumg=/800x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F30%2F11%2F24%2F1710230_Saudi2.jpg, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/y3xmxnDHmF6xTGC9CA7MAmA6-kg=/1600x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F30%2F11%2F24%2F1710230_Saudi2.jpg 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></source><source data-reactid="92" media="(min-width: 768px)" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/QlYr0ndIdBpnciynT9VKixByvS0=/600x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F30%2F11%2F24%2F1710230_Saudi2.jpg, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/8lsOKD0WlJhwg8CJrxSfmMqYcNM=/1200x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F30%2F11%2F24%2F1710230_Saudi2.jpg 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></source><source data-reactid="93" media="(min-width: 0px)" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/8fLwAQPG7xE3HmEWBf1p0QkttQ4=/500x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F30%2F11%2F24%2F1710230_Saudi2.jpg, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/Xwc02IhJxz9G1yyCc-ud-zmd3hY=/1000x0/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F30%2F11%2F24%2F1710230_Saudi2.jpg 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></source><img alt="Women will be allowed in three Saudi Arabian sports stadiums from next year. " class="article__image" data-reactid="94" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/4U3mwemGquq72R9V6TMbLCaf1PA=/500xnull/smart/http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2F2017%2F10%2F30%2F11%2F24%2F1710230_Saudi2.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin: 20px 0px 0px; width: 692px;" /></picture></div>
<br />
<figcaption class="article__caption" data-reactid="95" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: -12px; padding: 0px;">Women will be allowed in three Saudi Arabian sports stadiums from next year.</figcaption><br />
<div data-reactid="96" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
The attack was carried out by militants opposed to social openings taking place at the time, seeing them as Western and un-Islamic.</div>
<div data-reactid="97" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
Indeed, Sunni extremists have used the intolerant views propagated by the ideology known as Wahhabism to justify violence against others. Wahhabism has governed life in Saudi Arabia since its foundation 85 years ago.</div>
<div data-reactid="98" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
The ruling Al Saud responded to the events of 1979 by empowering the state's ultraconservatives. To hedge the international appeal of Iran's Shiite revolution, the government backed efforts to export the kingdom's foundational Wahhabi ideology abroad.</div>
<div data-reactid="99" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
To appease a sizeable conservative segment of the population at home, cinemas were shuttered, women were banned from appearing on state television and the religious police were emboldened.</div>
<div data-reactid="100" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
Much is now changing under the prince as he consolidates greater powers and prepares to inherit the throne.</div>
<div data-reactid="101" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
There are plans to build a Six Flags theme park and a semi-autonomous Red Sea tourist destination where the strict rules on women's dress will likely not apply.</div>
<div data-reactid="102" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
Females have greater access to sports, the powers of the once-feared religious police have been curtailed and restrictions on gender segregation are being eased.</div>
<div data-reactid="103" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
Unlike previous Saudi monarchs, such as King Abdullah who backed gradual and cautious openings, Prince Mohammed is moving quickly.</div>
<div data-reactid="104" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
More than half of Saudi Arabia's 20 million citizens are below the age of 25, meaning millions of young Saudis will be entering the workforce in the coming decade.</div>
<div data-reactid="105" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
The government is urgently trying to create more jobs and ward off the kinds of grievances that sparked uprisings in other Arab countries where unemployment is rampant and citizens have little say in government.</div>
<div data-reactid="106" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
The prince has to find solutions now for the problems he is set to inherit as monarch.</div>
<div data-reactid="107" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
"What MBS is doing is a must requirement for any kind of economic reform. Economic reform requires a new Protestant ethic if you will, a new brand of Islam," said Maamoun Fandy, director of the London Global Strategy Institute.</div>
<div data-reactid="108" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
This new Saudi version of "moderate Islam" can be understood as one that is amenable to economic reforms; it does not close shops at prayer time or banish women from public life, Fandy said.</div>
<div data-reactid="109" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
In other words, Saudi Arabia's economic reforms require social reforms to succeed.</div>
<div data-reactid="110" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
Buzzwords like "reform," ''transparency" and "accountability" — all used by the prince in his promotion of Vision 2030 — do not, however, mean that Saudi Arabia is moving toward greater liberalism, democracy, pluralism or freedom of speech.</div>
<div data-reactid="111" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
The government does not grant licenses to non-Muslim houses of worship, and limits those of its Shiite Muslim citizens.</div>
<div data-reactid="112" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
The prince has also made no mention of human rights concerns. If anything, dozens of the prince's perceived critics have been detained in a warning to others who dare to speak out.</div>
<div data-reactid="113" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
Some of those arrested were seen as critics of his foreign policies, which include severing ties with Qatar, increasing tensions with Iran and overseeing airstrikes in Yemen that have killed scores of civilians and drawn sharp condemnation from rights groups and some in Washington.</div>
<div data-reactid="114" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
Meanwhile, Prince Mohammed faces a Saudi public that remains religiously conservative. That means he still needs public support from the state's top clerics in order to position his reforms as Islamic and religiously permissible.</div>
<div data-reactid="115" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
These clerics, many of whom had spoken out in the past against women working and driving, appear unwilling or unable to publicly criticize the moves.</div>
<div data-reactid="116" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
In this absolute monarchy, the king holds final say on most matters and the public has shown it is welcoming the changes.</div>
<div data-reactid="117" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 16px;">
<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">With Associated Press</em>.<br />
Source: http://www.9news.com.au/world/2017/10/30/11/21/saudi-women-to-be-allowed-into-sport-stadiums </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-66533996318161164002016-07-27T11:35:00.000+01:002016-07-27T11:35:15.376+01:00American fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, a Muslim, welcomes her Olympic closeup<div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "McClatchy Slab", Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; text-transform: uppercase;">
<span class="ng_byline_name" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block;">BY SCOTT FOWLER</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "McClatchy Slab", Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.5em;">
<span class="ng_byline_email" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block;">sfowler@charlotteobserver.com</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
If you haven’t heard of Ibtihaj Muhammad yet, you will if you watch much of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
The 2007 Duke graduate is about to become the first U.S. athlete to participate in the Olympics while wearing a hijab, the traditional covering for the hair and neck that is worn by Muslim women.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
Muhammad, 30, is a Muslim fencer who is originally from New Jersey. When she was 13, she and her parents picked fencing as a sport she could try. They were searching for a sport Muhammad could play while being fully covered so she could adhere to the tenets of her faith.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
The saber is Muhammad’s fencing weapon of choice. While she is a long shot to win a medal in Rio, it’s not impossible. There is also a possibility she could be chosen as the U.S. flag bearer in either the opening or closing ceremonies.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
Muhammad has met with President Obama to talk about Muslim issues in the U.S. community. She also has a clothing line, called<a href="http://www.louellashop.com/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0d76ba; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="">Louella</a>, that aims to bring modest fashionable clothing to the United States market. I caught up with Muhammad in a pre-Olympic interview session not long ago with several other reporters for this Q&A.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_intro_bold_italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Q: What was your experience at Duke like?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_page_topic_leadin" style="box-sizing: border-box;">A: It was interesting. I always say it was the best four years of my life. I was recruited there for fencing, but I was on an academic scholarship. I double-majored in international relations and African Studies and minored in Arabic. I went to basketball games while I was there. I had a great time.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_intro_bold_italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Q: You have a lot of opportunities as these Olympics approach. What are you most excited about?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_page_topic_leadin" style="box-sizing: border-box;">A: I’m excited to provide a different image of what people are used to seeing from a Muslim woman. I don’t want to see the same image every time of Muslim women on TV – it’s not representative of the Muslim women that I know living in the States.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_page_topic_leadin" style="box-sizing: border-box;">What I see is very narrow. It may be a woman in all black, or a woman in a burka (the loose garment covering the whole body from head to feet, worn in public by many Muslim women).</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_page_topic_leadin" style="box-sizing: border-box;">As Muslims, we have conservatives and we have liberals and everyone in between. You can’t paint us all with one broad stroke. That can be frustrating.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_page_topic_leadin" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_intro_bold_italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Q: There is a lot of anti-Muslim rhetoric these days, and you have mentioned that you have heard some of it. What is your reaction to that?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_page_topic_leadin" style="box-sizing: border-box;">A: My family has always been here. I’m American by birth. This is part of who I am and it is all that I know. So when I hear someone say something like, ‘We’re going to send Muslims back to their countries,’ then I’m like: ‘Where am I going to go? I’m American.’</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_intro_bold_italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Q: Some athletes would rather not wade into political and cultural waters and just focus on their sport. Why do you go there?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_page_topic_leadin" style="box-sizing: border-box;">A: If someone chooses not to support me because I am going to speak out against hate and bigotry, then my relationship with them was never meant to be. I feel like I owe it to anyone is struggling in this country because of their skin color or their race, I owe it to them to speak out in this moment. It is very difficult right now. It’s a very stiff environment that we are living in. So I want to challenge these thoughts and this rhetoric that we are hearing.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_page_topic_leadin" style="box-sizing: border-box;">I do have moments like, ‘Oh, not today.’ Sometimes I want to just be an athlete, just focus on training. But when I think about my own safety, or the safety of my mother and sisters, my family and friends, I feel like I have to speak out. I have to challenge this idea that in some way that we don’t belong because of our race or religion.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_intro_bold_italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Q: Do you retain your Duke loyalty?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_page_topic_leadin" style="box-sizing: border-box;">A: Yes, I do. Did you go to Carolina by any chance?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_intro_bold_italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Q: Yes, I did.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="ng_page_topic_leadin" style="box-sizing: border-box;">A: Well, we all make mistakes.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "McClatchy Slab", Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.5em;">
<span class="ng_byline_email" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block;"></span></div>
<div class="ng_endnote_contact" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "McClatchy Sans", Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; margin: 35px 0px;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px;">
Scott Fowler: <a href="mailto:sfowler@charlotteobserver.com" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0d76ba; text-decoration: none;" title="">sfowler@charlotteobserver.com</a>,<a href="https://twitter.com/scott_fowler" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0d76ba; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="">@scott_fowler</a></div>
</div>
</div>
Source: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/scott-fowler/article91947287.htmlUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-37280747110454210762016-07-27T11:13:00.001+01:002016-07-27T11:14:04.644+01:00Campaign for FIBA's Clothing Regulations<div style="text-align: start;">
Ezdihar Abdulmula is currently campaigning for the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to extend its 2 year preliminary rule of allowing players with religious wear such as hijabs and turbans to play basketball professionally. </div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
This 2 year period is coming to an end and FIBA will decide this August 2016 whether to lift this ban or not. </div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
Thus, Ezdihar Abdulmula and others have started a petition to lift this ban permanently. </div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
Here is a link to the petition: <a href="https://www.change.org/p/president-horacio-muratore-federation-international-basketball-association-fiba-allow-hijab">https://www.change.org/p/president-horacio-muratore-federation-international-basketball-association-fiba-allow-hijab</a></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-50228646591096050462016-04-28T10:08:00.003+01:002016-04-28T10:08:42.545+01:00Baku to host 4th Islamic Games in 2017By <b><i>Moni Mathews</i></b><div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div>
<div class="articlepage_summary" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: white; font-family: proxima_nova_rgregular; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 14px 0px 10px 20px; width: 780px;">
<h2 style="border-bottom-color: rgb(226, 226, 226); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: proxima_nova_rgbold; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 15px;">
Over 5,000 elite athletes for show in Azerbaijan capital</h2>
</div>
<div class="articlepage_content_zz" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-family: proxima_nova_rgregular; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px; width: 790px;">
<div class="article_rightside_bar" style="box-sizing: initial; float: right; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 300px; overflow: hidden; padding-right: 0px;">
<div class="right_side_ad" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; margin-bottom: 18px;">
</div>
</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
Preparations for the fourth Islamic Solidarity Games (ISG) in Baku from May 12-22, 2017, got off with a solid road trip start, when the event was formally announced at a media conference in Dubai at the Emirates Towers, on Tuesday.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
The 57-member Islamic Solidarity Federation (ISSF) will hold the multinational, multi-sport extravaganza where over 5,000 athletes, some of them elite, are expected to participate in the Baku chapter.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
Normally the passion sport of a region is included like badminton when the Games was held in Indonesia for the third edition. The 14 core disciplines - archery, swimming including diving, athletics, basketball, fencing, football, gymnastics, handball, judo, karate, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball and weightlifting will again be the centre of attention during the fortnight.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
During the announcement, ISSF secretary general Faisal Al Nassar and officials of Dubai-based Events Lab and MMC Sportz - Saeed Abdulghaffar Hussain, Nasser Tabbah, Samir Tabbah and Eric M. Gottschalk - inked the ISSF global marketing agreement.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
Al Nassar said: "We are proud to confirm the fourth Islamic Solidarity Games (ISG) in Baku, Azerbaijan next year and we are proud to have such a strong city like Baku which has so much of international experience as a sports host. The signing of the agreement with Events Lab and MMC Sportz as exclusive sports marketing partners shows that we are totally proactive and professional in reaching our goals."</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
"For us, the partnership with ISSF is very prestigious and the joint venture with MMC Sportz brings forward a wealth of expertise in various types of dealings," said Samir Tabbah, Group CEO, Desert Gate Tourism & Events Lab.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
Gottschalk, MMC Sportz CEO said: "When we presented the commercial framework for the 2017 chapter, it was well received since it was budget sensitive."</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
The first event was held in 2005 in Saudi Arabia where the nations of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference took part. Non-Muslim citizens in the member countries are also allowed to take part in the Games.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
The second event, originally scheduled to take place in October 2009 in Iran, and later re-scheduled for April 2010, was cancelled. The third edition took place in 2013 in Indonesia. </div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
Forty one nations from the member-list represented at the Games in Palembang three years ago. During the 8th General Assembly of the ISSF in Jeddah, the Baku-2017 Bid Book was presented. The venue was unanimously voted and passed for the fourth chapter to be held in Azerbaijan in 2017. </div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
<a href="mailto:moni@khaleejtimes.com" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0384da; text-decoration: none;">moni@khaleejtimes.com</a></div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
Source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/baku-to-host-4th-islamic-games-in-2017</div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-16625966530922031882016-04-28T10:04:00.000+01:002016-04-28T10:04:03.121+01:00Muslim ‘girls only’ swimming sessions ripple Danish waters<div class="articleTeaser" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 1.172em; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<strong>Hundreds of young Muslim girls have flocked to swimming lessons in Copenhagen's immigrant-heavy Tingbjerg district after Hovedstadens Svømmeklub (Capital City Swimming Club) introduced segregated swimming sessions.</strong></div>
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
While the swimming club has hailed the move as a "recipe for integration", politicians and commentators have criticised the concept as being against Danish values.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
The girl-only sessions, which also take place with windows and doors to the swimming hall blacked out, were set up in response to religious and cultural requirements put forward by parents, reports Berlingske.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
The newspaper reports that 246 girls of non-Danish ethnic origin between the ages of five and 12 have begun attending swimming lessons at the hall since the sessions were introduced.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“We have gone from zero to several hundred girls in three years, and have successfully established a swimming option for a specific group, which would otherwise find swimming difficult to access because of religion,” Lars Sørensen, the director of Hovedstadens Svømmeklub (HSK), told Berlingske.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
A 2011 report by the Danish Sports Association (Dansk Idrætsforbund) showed that 28 percent of ethnic Danes were members of sports clubs, compared to 18 percent of non-ethnic Danes.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Sørensen told Berlingske that encouraging young Muslim girls to take part in sport - while keeping with their own religious practices - strengthens both physical wellbeing and integration amongst the girls.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“Many of these girls come here and meet role models from their own neighbourhoods standing on the poolside in the coach’s jersey,” said Sørensen. “At the same time, they learn to swim, which gives safety, fitness and well being.”</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Sørensen added that the club did not consider the introduction of segregated lessons an extraordinary measure.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“It is just a condition [for taking part], just as some people swimming in 50 metre lanes and others swimming in 25 metre lanes,” the pool trainer told Berlingske.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“We are the second biggest sporting association in the country, so we think it’s our responsibility to offer a considered range of swimming lessons,” he added.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
But the City of Copenhagen's deputy mayor for culture and leisure, Carl Christian Ebbesen of the Danish People’s Party (DF), told Berlingske that creating segregated swimming sessions for Muslim girls was bad for integration and “destructive” for Danish culture.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“It is completely crazy to meet these demands. There is a desperately short supply of swimming pools, so we shouldn’t be closing them down by putting curtains in front of the windows and signs saying ‘just for girls’ just to meet the demands of religious fanatics,” Ebbesen said.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
The DF politician said that Muslim girls were welcome to take part in sports clubs, but that this must be done on the same basis as everybody else.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“We must go to the parents via our integration policies and explain to them that we cannot meet their special requirements,” Ebbesen told Berlingske.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“They must send their girls to sport and other activities like everyone else. Every time we meet these demands, we are destroying the society we’ve worked so hard for,” he continued.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Rikke Lauritzen of the left-wing Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten), who is responsible for municipality financial support for community projects in Copenhagen, said that Ebbesen should “relax a little bit” and called the swimming initiative “super cool”.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“The most important thing for me is to get children from all backgrounds involved in clubs and associations of all kinds, so that they can be part of the democratic development process that this entails,” Lauritzen told Berlingske.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“It’s super cool, that so many children have begun swimming in Tingbjerg, because it shows that it works when we provide funds for development. I would therefore like to congratulate HSK on its success,” she continued.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Lauritzen also pointed out that single-sex swimming lessons are not an extraordinary sight.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0016px; line-height: 21.0022px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Source: http://www.thelocal.dk/20160427/muslim-girls-only-swimming-sessions-ripple-danish-waters</div>
</div>
<ul style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; line-height: 1.3em; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 20px;"></ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-402915676508651242016-01-12T10:19:00.004+00:002016-01-12T10:19:51.933+00:00Hijabs and Hat-tricks: Muslim women lead the field<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div>
<b><i>by </i></b><a class="gtm-event" data-evt-action="To profile from byline in article" data-evt-category="Writer Links" data-evt-label="Sorcha Pollak" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/profile/sorcha-pollak-7.2721533" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #23517a; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 600; outline: 0px;">Sorcha Pollak</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://bcove.me/m0mzkxtx" target="_blank"> The end of a rule that barred women from wearing a hijab while playing football has seen the numbers of young muslim women taking up the game rise. Click Here for the Video by Daniel O'Connor</a><br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
Growing up in Tallaght, <a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Fadhila%20Hajji&article=true" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; color: #23517a; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">Fadhila Hajji</a> loved playing football with her brothers.</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
Kicking a ball around the yard during her teen years was the perfect way to relax after a long day at school. Unfortunately, the headscarf or hijab she wore as a Muslim teenager meant she was unable to play matches with other girls.</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
“It was very upsetting to me because I couldn’t express my passion for football,” says Hajji as she prepares for her weekly training in Phoenix Park on a grey, wet morning. “It was something I really enjoyed playing, something that I could use to blow steam off. Playing with everyone was just my happy time. I was really eager to join a team but couldn’t because of my headscarf.”</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
In March 2014, football’s world-governing body Fifa lifted the ban on head covers during matches. This meant female Muslim players would have the option to cover their heads when playing.</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
When Hajji’s brother Abdul-Rahman heard about Fifa’s decision to lift the ban on headscarves, he approached his sister with the idea of creating a Muslim women’s football team in Dublin. He was already an active member of Sports Against Racism <a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_location=Ireland&article=true" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; color: #23517a; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">Ireland</a> (Sari).</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
Along with their friend, Abdul, the three young soccer enthusiasts contacted friends around Dublin encouraging them to get involved in their “Hijabs and Hat-tricks” project. Diverse City FC kicked off training in March 2014 and, two months later, they made their debut at the <a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?q=Fair%20Play%20Cup&article=true" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; color: #23517a; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">Fair Play Cup</a> on World Refugee Day.</div>
<h4 class="crosshead" style="background-color: white; font-family: DINWeb-Bold, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px 2px;">
Weekly training</h4>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px;">Mahdiyah Ayub from Coolock has joined Hajji for the Phoenix Park training despite the incessant rain. The girls stamp their feet as they catch up on the week’s gossip, waiting for the session to kick off.</span><br />
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
Ayub was already a keen footballer player when Hajji called her in 2014 to join the new team. Before playing with Diverse City, she often removed her scarf for fear of sticking out on a pitch of non-Muslim players.</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
“It was more I was uncomfortable in my own skin,” says the 17 year old, catching her breath after warm-up laps. “Knowing you’re the only Muslim, you try and fit in more with the other girls, so I took my scarf off.”</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
The decision to join Diverse City has given her the confidence to play her favourite sport while wearing her hijab.</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
“Since I’ve joined this team, I’ve been wearing it to my school matches, to clubs and everything. The team gave me more confidence to go out there . . . to wear my scarf, to be proud of being a Muslim. To be proud of my scarf because it’s part of my identity.”</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
Wearing a scarf while playing sport is just like tying your hair back, says Ayub. “It’s also great because when it’s windy or raining you have an extra layer so your hair doesn’t get wet.”</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
<a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Amina%20Moustafa&article=true" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; color: #23517a; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">Amina Moustafa</a>, who is in first-year science at Trinity College, doesn’t wear a hijab, but has many friends who were afraid to join teams because of their headscarves. She and her twin sister, who also plays on the team, were lucky enough to grow up in a household where sports was always encouraged.</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
“My mam said when she was younger she was told not to play, that maybe it wasn’t for her. She didn’t want that for us so she encouraged us to keep going out.</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
“She loved the idea that there was a Muslim girls team and it was promoting diversity and interculturalism in Ireland. I’ve done so much sport over the years and this is the best team for bonding together. Normally, you just play the sport and go home, whereas I feel when we’re playing there’s more of a connection between the players.”</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
The girls are so enthusiastic about Diverse City they insisted on continuing training and playing matches during Ramadan – a period of the Islamic year when Muslims do not eat or drink anything between sunrise and sunset.</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
“It’s a good distraction from eating,” says Moustafa. “You don’t even think about it. We were just thinking about how amazing it was that we actually won a match when we didn’t have any energy.”</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
Azeez Yusuff, who coaches the team, says he was pleasantly surprised by how talented some players are. “All of them were good from day one when I first saw them – and now they’ve just totally developed which is absolutely amazing.”</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
“It’s great to see everyone mixing together because people say Muslim women just stay at home and stuff like that. Here you can see they’ve proven them wrong.”</div>
<h4 class="crosshead" style="background-color: white; font-family: DINWeb-Bold, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px 2px;">
Common sense</h4>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px;">Former Republic of Ireland football manager </span><a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Brian%20Kerr&article=true" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: #23517a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">Brian Kerr</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px;">, who sits on the board of Sari and has followed the Hijabs and Hat-tricks project with great interest, says Fifa’s decision to allow women to wear hijabs while playing was “common sense”.</span><br />
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
“Why should they have that restriction when in their culture they have to wear something to cover their hair?” he asks. Kerr believes Ireland’s decision to host the 2003 Special Olympics marked a turning point in attitudes.</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
“Why aren’t we inclusive in sport for everybody? As long as people give it the best they can and we can provide those opportunities, it can be vastly satisfying for players, coaches and volunteers.”</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
“A new population is coming into the country; a new diverse group with different religions and different cultural norms.”</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
Fadhila Hajji is proud to have played a leading role in making competitive football a reality for Irish Muslim women in their teens and early 20s. In December, she received a People of the Year Award for her work with Sari in fighting discrimination through sport.</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
“I feel proud. I feel like I have achieved something for the team, for myself and also for people around the world that feel inspired. I think it’s great that people from different backgrounds and ethnicities are getting together in one community and playing football.”</div>
<div class="no_name" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
Hajji believes Muslim participation in sport sends out a positive message. “Islam is not portrayed very well at the moment. People seeing the Muslim people doing something good, that’s what we need right now.”<br />
<br />
Source: <a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/hijabs-and-hat-tricks-muslim-women-lead-the-field-1.2479670">http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/hijabs-and-hat-tricks-muslim-women-lead-the-field-1.2479670</a></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-40266610073412942862016-01-06T10:14:00.003+00:002016-01-06T10:14:37.268+00:00STADIUMS ARE STILL CLOSED TO WOMEN IN IRAN<b>By Shireen Ahmed</b><div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
<i style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">VICE is <a href="http://www.vice.com/series/global-goals" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;" target="_blank">covering the launch</a> of the <a href="http://www.globalgoals.org/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;" target="_blank">Global Goals</a> for sustainable development. In the next fifteen years, they want to achieve three massive tasks: end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice and fix climate change.</i></div>
<div class="in-content-ad ajax-ad" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
This summer, as I was watching the thrilling Women's World Cup final between the U.S. and Japan, I got a direct message via Twitter from my friend, Sara. (Names of activists in Iran have been changed for the protection.) She was elated to be able to watch the match, too—she lives in Iran and was unable to watch much of the tournament. We chatted briefly about the match. I told Saher I was fortunate enough to have attended some of the matches at Lansdowne Stadium, in Ottawa, with my niece and my daughter. "I wish one day I can watch in a stadium," wrote Sara.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
Sara's message made my heart ache. Her words were laced with sadness from injustice, a feeling I know, even in Canada. For years, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shireen-ahmed/hijab-women-fifa_b_4907732.html" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;">FIFA's ban on hijab</a> denied me, along with millions of other women, any chance of playing football. Enduring that ban was painful, unnecessary and kept me from fully enjoying the sport I played for decades. The beautiful game is a huge part of my <a href="http://www.shireenahmed.com/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;">identity</a>. It has inspired and invigorated me, and I was kept from playing. Yet, I had the freedom of attending matches in person.</div>
<div class="read-more" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: rgb(237, 254, 0); box-sizing: border-box; display: table; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px 1.5rem 0px 0.5rem; position: relative; width: auto;">
<a href="https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/meet-the-badass-who-got-fifa-to-care-about-justice" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px; text-decoration: none;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">READ MORE: Meet the Badass Who Got FIFA to Care About Justice</strong></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
Sara lives in Iran, which since the 1979 revolution has <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leila-mouri/my-share-half-of-azadi-le_b_5508962.html" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;">banned women</a> from attending sporting events at stadiums around the country. Hardline clerics insist that it is inappropriate to have women at matches, where they would unnecessarily be mixing with men outside their families, where the male players wear shorts, and where, the clerics say, there is often vulgar language and behaviour. Nonetheless, non-Iranian women are allowed to support visiting teams in Iran, and have freely attended games—one of the things that has made the ban more unbearable for those subject to it.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
For decades the ban focused largely on football stadiums (the most popular sport in Iran), but women were allowed to congregate and watch matches in public squares, which became popular during the 2010 World Cup. In 2012, before the EURO Cup, Iran extended the ban to include wrestling and volleyball matches and any area or stadium. Since then, men and women have been prohibited from watching matches together in public spaces, cafes, or restaurants.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
"No one should be able to eliminate half the nation from public places," Sara later emailed me. "But without any change to the law, they will not let us attend."</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
To bar women from stadiums in a sports-loving country like Iran is a form of exclusion so perverse that it has propelled much action. <a href="https://twitter.com/openStadiums" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;">Open Stadiums</a> (also known as <a href="http://meydaan.info/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;">White Scarves</a>) started in 2005 to draw attention to gender inequalities in sport and lobby against women being kept from public stadiums, and <a href="http://www.weldd.org/blogs/weldd/iran-how-discussion-about-women%E2%80%99s-presence-stadiums-can-teach-us-feminist-lessons" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;">Sara</a> has been a central figure in Tehran for the organization since the beginning. The activists of Open Stadiums organize petitions and lobby international sporting federations for support. At home in Tehran, when posters and placards have been restricted, they have resorted to printing the political messages onto their white headscarves to avoid any fracas with police. In 2009, Iranian laws on public protests tightened, and Open Stadiums and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Letiranianwomenentertheirstadiums/posts/1584418475160480:0" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;">their allies </a>went online and expanded their advocacy efforts. Identities of organizers in Iran are protected due to danger of persecution.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
The issue has even been the subject of films like 'Offside' (2006) by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi. The critically acclaimed movie portrays the fictional struggles of six young female football fans who are prevented from attending a World Cup Match and are eventually detained.<a href="http://footynions.tumblr.com/post/34269571391/play-like-girl-but-cant-watch-in-iran" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;"> Panahi</a> made the film hoping it would "push the limits in Iran and help women." Almost ten years later, Iranian women are still not free to enter Azadi Stadium.</div>
<div class="has-image" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
<img data-original-height="796px" data-original-width="1200px" src="https://sports-images.vice.com/images/2015/10/05/stadiums-are-still-closed-to-women-in-iran-body-image-1444065510.jpg?output-quality=75" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
<div class="photo-credit" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #878787; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75rem; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.1rem; margin: -1rem auto 1.5rem; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
<em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">An Iranian soccer fan watching a match in 2006—not much has changed for women since then. Photo by </em><em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Abedin Taherkenareh</em><em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">/EPA</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
On June 20, 2014, British-Iranian student Ghoncheh Ghavami got ready to protest at Azadi (which means 'freedom' in Farsi), which was hosting a men's volleyball match. She was detained by Iranian authorities, and after 100 days of solitary confinement, she was sentenced to one year in prison. The case was a slap in the face to sports, athletes, and fans, and it grabbed the attention of <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/24/world/iran-grants-bail-to-woman-from-britain-held-5-months.html?_r=0" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;">major media outlets</a> and <a href="https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/free-ghoncheh-ghavami-prison-iran-volleyball-protest" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;">Amnesty International</a>; a petition for her release collected over 730,000 signatures. President Ary Graca of the Federation International du Volleyball (FIVB)<a href="http://www.fivb.com/en/congress/news/worldwide-volleyball-family-stand-for-ghavami?id=50234" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;"> issued a strong statemen</a>t last November: "We never normally seek to interfere with the laws of any country. But in accordance with the Olympic Charter, the FIVB is committed to inclusivity and the right of women to participate in sport on an equal basis." The charges against Ghavami were finally <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/02/british-iranian-goncheh-ghavami-jailed-volleyball-game-charges-dropped-iran" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;">dropped</a> in April, and she returned to the United Kingdom.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
Days later, deputy Sports Minister Abdolhamid Ahmad <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/05/world/middleeast/iran-will-allow-women-in-sports-stadiums-reversing-a-much-criticized-rule.html" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;">declared</a> that Iran would allow women into stadiums. There had been small steps from government officials to address the stadium ban before this year. In 2006, for example, former President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, a football fan, wrote to Iran's Physical Education Organization and implored them to allow women into stadiums. He unsuccessfully argued that women would improve the atmosphere at stadiums and welcome a more family-friendly space. Ahmadinejad did not have any support from FIFA at the time.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
The April announcement of the stadium ban reversal coincided with the news of a<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/02/iran-nuclear-deal-negotiators-announce-framework-agreement" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;">breakthrough in negotiations</a> over Iran's nuclear program. Activists were hopeful that <a href="http://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/on-sidelines-of-nuclear-deal-iran-also-hope-lifting-of-sanctions-can-re-energise-football" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;">real progress</a> had been made. Yet, women were still denied entry into Azadi Stadium to watch the six international matches hosted by the Iranian Volleyball Federation this summer. Despite pressure from Open Stadiums, FIVB did not comment further. Any politicized reasoning for keeping women from sport is enraging; more frustrating is international governing bodies of the sport who just release press releases and then disappear—or<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-dorsey/blatters-call-on-iran-to-allow-women-into-stadia_b_6825852.html" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;">heads of federations</a> whose disingenuous comments do not help.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
Iranian women have a few allies among the higher ranks of the international sports. Moya Dodd, a FIFA executive committee member, is a tireless advocate for women in football.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
As vice-president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which has jurisdiction over Iran, Dodd is perhaps in a strongest position to put more pressure on Iran to truly open its stadiums. She has met with Iranian activists multiple times in recent years, including with a member of Open Stadiums during this year's Women's World Cup.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
"Football is the most popular sport in the world, and it plays a big role in setting the behavioural norms in society," Dodd wrote in an e-mail. "Excluding women from enjoying it as a live spectacle is not only unfair to those women as individuals, it's not only unfair to the game of football to reduce its audience, it's not only unfair to the development of women's football because women can't witness and learn from watching the those games - but the message it sends is that it's also acceptable to exclude us from society's mainstream activities. And that is a fundamental breach of human rights."</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
Dodd was instrumental in lobbying FIFA after Iran women's national football team suffered a<a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/sport/football/2011/06/201166124927699569.html" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;"> heartbreaking disqualification</a> for wearing hijabs in 2011, and was unable to gain a place in the Women's World Cup. That prompted a two-year campaign that eventually resulted on FIFA<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shireen-ahmed/hijab-women-fifa_b_4907732.html" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;"> lifting the ban</a> on head-coverings in March 2014.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
Sara told me that Iranian feminists are in regular contact with Dodd and grateful for the solidarity she has provided. Working with grassroots activists is crucial in order to accomplish goals set by ....<a href="https://sports.vice.com/ca/article/stadiums-are-still-closed-to-women-in-iran" target="_blank">To c</a><span style="background-color: transparent;"><a href="https://sports.vice.com/ca/article/stadiums-are-still-closed-to-women-in-iran" target="_blank">ontinue reading, click here</a>.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px;">Source: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 28.8px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">https://sports.vice.com/ca/article/stadiums-are-still-closed-to-women-in-iran</span></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-45222242942099006562016-01-06T10:11:00.000+00:002016-01-06T10:12:56.841+00:00THE KEY TO FIGHTING GENDERED ISLAMOPHOBIA<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
<b><i>By Shireen Ahmed</i></b><br />"Hands Up... SCREAM," he shouted. "HANDS UP! Faster! Faster!"</div>
<div class="in-content-ad ajax-ad" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
Konga blew his whistle and I jumped into fight stance, my hands protecting my face and head, trying to emulate his agility. I was panting and tried to keep up with the pace and the demands of the instructor. I faced Jihad, my 13-year-old daughter. Beads of sweat covered her forehead and her eyes were dark and intense.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
A few weeks ago, I committed to attending this self-defence session offered by Konga Fitness at Battle Arts Academy in Mississauga, Ontario, located just west of Toronto. It is one of the 20 self-defence workshops and sessions being offered for women in the last two months. After an alarming number of attacks on identifiable Muslims occurred in the Greater Toronto Area following the tragedies in Paris and San Bernardino, a few <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/11/26/self-defence-course-empowers-muslim-women.html" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;" target="_blank">community members</a> and <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/toronto/muslim-women-self-defence-classes-1.3341947" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;" target="_blank">organizations</a> mobilized to offer workshops and self-defence classes.</div>
<div class="read-more" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: rgb(237, 254, 0); box-sizing: border-box; display: table; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px 1.5rem 0px 0.5rem; position: relative; width: auto;">
<a href="https://sports.vice.com/ca/article/stadiums-are-still-closed-to-women-in-iran" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">READ MORE: Stadiums Are Still Closed to Women in Iran</strong></a><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://sports.vice.com/ca/article/stadiums-are-still-closed-to-women-in-iran" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px; text-decoration: none;"></a></strong></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/tuscany-lrt-hate-crime-suspect-arrested-1.3358160" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;" target="_blank">Islamophobia</a> has reared its ugly head in Canada and a lot of women in the Muslim community were feeling particularly vulnerable, angry, frustrated and, yes, scared—<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shireen-ahmed/terror-is-terror-even-if-the-victim-wears-hijab_b_8585550.html" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;" target="_blank">I certainly was</a>.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
Our instructor, Khaled Konga, yelled directions for our body positioning and sequences. We continued for another three minutes. When he was satisfied with our movements and our responses to his commands, we were permitted to take a water break.</div>
<div class="has-image" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
<img data-original-height="598px" data-original-width="1000px" src="https://sports-images.vice.com/images/2015/12/30/the-key-to-fighting-gendered-islamophobia-body-image-1451494798.jpg?output-quality=75" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
"Confidence. It is about confidence" Konga reiterated as we gulped, "You must be confident. You must be aware. You must use your voice!" His Egyptian accent dotted his directions. "You are strong. I am not going to teach you superman kicks and fancy punches. I am teaching you the basics so you can be safe. This is reality and function."</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
Above all, he reminded us, screaming is imperative. I look over and see my child nodding in agreement. I was grateful that she was absorbing all of this. Some of the other participants were smiling and chatting intermittently but we both stayed in battle mode. This was important. We both knew it. </div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
This session had about 30 attendees. All but two were women of colour. The majority of the women in the group were wearing the hijab. When I first brought up personal safety in the wake of an increase of attacks on Muslims, Jihad confessed she was more concerned for me since I cover and she does not. I realized that the best thing was for both of us to attend together.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
I am an identifiable Muslim woman. I wear a hijab. I have worn it for almost 20 years—by choice. That my decision to wear a headscarf could be a trigger for ignorant people to attack me is unsettling, to say the least. My daughter does not choose to cover. But she identifies as a Muslim and her name is unmistakably and unapologetically Arabic. I trust her but I feel burdened by an anxiety that she could be targeted because of her beliefs, her skin colour and even her name. Most of the victims of recent attacks <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/hate-crimes-ontario-paris-attacks-1.3328660" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;" target="_blank">have been young women</a>. And some <a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/2381216/woman-wearing-hijab-attacked-in-hate-crime-related-assault-in-mississauga/?hootPostID=9773f6d0f5632da1e56724fe1172f56a" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;" target="_blank">close to my home</a>. As a result, some have decided to <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/assault-of-toronto-woman-being-treated-as-a-hate-crime/article27291302/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;" target="_blank">not go out at night</a> as often. I don't blame them. But I opted for physical preparedness in case my daughter or I were ever in that situation.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
My friend Noor, who happens to be a black belt in karate and also a sexual assault prevention instructor, shared the information about Konga's free sessions, and I immediately registered for two spots. Jihad initially groaned and insisted that the wrestling sessions in our living room with her dad and three brothers were sufficient. But I wouldn't have any of it, fearing that Islamophobes and misogynists could unleash their ignorant rage on her. She would come to this workshop; if only for giving me and her father some peace of mind.</div>
<div class="has-image" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
<img data-original-height="560px" data-original-width="1000px" src="https://sports-images.vice.com/images/2015/12/30/the-key-to-fighting-gendered-islamophobia-body-image-1451494668.jpg?output-quality=75" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
I might have reconsidered when I saw how eager she would be to partner with me and attack me on Konga's cues. She was fierce and determined. "At least this attitude you give<em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">me</em> can empower you in something," I muttered to her. She rolled her eyes but we continued the drill.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
In between bouts of emphasizing the importance of spatial awareness and quick footwork, Konga reminded us that our main purpose was, in fact, not to maim aggressors but to get to safety. Our sharp responses of an elbow or a kick might only irritate or confuse a person attacking us. But it would give us that opportunity to get the hell out of there and get help.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
Jihad remained rapt with attention. She is used to physical demands of an athlete but this training is about awareness and smart decisions under pressure. We are told that ultimately we should practice these maneuvers until they become second nature. Constant awareness of the spaces we are in is so important for all women—Muslim, or not, and for all ages.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
Jihad was the youngest one in the session but victims of such attacks can <a href="http://www.torontosun.com/2015/12/14/woman-attacked-girl-in-hijab-on-ttc-cops" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;" target="_blank">be quite young</a>. I think about this a lot. In the United States, one such victim was a girl in sixth grade and beaten by three schoolboys who shouted "ISIS" at her as they punched her.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
I want my daughter to be able to defend herself, and I will not always be there. Those thoughts weigh heavily on me. Young Muslims, who grew up on timbits and homogenized milk in Canada—the only home they have ever known—worry about their safety. Those young female Muslims cheer for the same hockey teams, volunteer at community hospitals and inhale poutine like any other teenager from Canada. But they worry about being targets of racist violence, which many in this country will never experience.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
"Mama, focus!" she snapped and then promptly pushed against my arms. I shook myself to attention and straightened my posture. The I re-engaged with her. She needs to see me learning and fighting. The information we received was mentally exhausting and physically demanding. My arms hurt and my calves are sore but I feel I need to continue.</div>
<div class="has-image" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
<img data-original-height="629px" data-original-width="1000px" src="https://sports-images.vice.com/images/2015/12/30/the-key-to-fighting-gendered-islamophobia-body-image-1451494737.jpg?output-quality=75" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
In every class, workshop or seminar I have ever attended, the instructors all underline how confidence is essential. A two-hour session is not enough to master all martial arts moves, but consistent training can certainly help. In one of our many conversations, Noor told me that, "Participants having a false sense of security is always a concern, but you want to ensure women understand martial arts is about having positive headspace." She adds that a sense of <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2015/11/sisterhood-from-struggle/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;" target="_blank">sisterhood</a> is also strengthened by these initiatives. This is also an important lesson for my daughter to learn. I wish that personal and community development didn't have to be in the context of protection from violence, but it is her reality right now.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
Gendered Islamophobia is rooted in racism and misogyny. It is a constant in the lives of women. Misogyny has lurked in the true north strong and free for a long time. It is not something new to Canada. Our government just released an inquiry about over 1,200<a href="https://news.vice.com/article/canada-launches-inquiry-into-murdered-aboriginal-women-and-opens-the-door-to-repealing-racist-indian-act" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;" target="_blank">missing and murdered Indigenous women</a>.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
With powerful Western figures like Republican presidential candidate <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/07/politics/donald-trump-muslim-ban-immigration/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;"><u style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Donald Trump</u></a> and former Canadian prime minister <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/federal-election/2015/10/07/harper-pitting-country-against-muslims-some-niqab-wearers-say.html" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;"><u style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Stephen Harper</u></a> having spewed hateful vitriol, the increase in <a href="https://www.rt.com/usa/325282-anti-muslim-attack-citizens-us/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; padding: 0.1rem 0px;" target="_blank">anti-Muslim sentiment</a> is notable. But we go forward. We practice that jab, that block, that kick to an attacker's groin, again and again.</div>
<div class="has-image" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
<img data-original-height="600px" data-original-width="1000px" src="https://sports-images.vice.com/images/2015/12/30/the-key-to-fighting-gendered-islamophobia-body-image-1451494703.jpg?output-quality=75" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto !important; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
Konga wraps up the session lightheartedly and says: "This is just a small key. A key you can use to open the door and get out of danger."</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
We grabbed a coffee with Noor after the workshop to decompress and discuss the afternoon. I didn't want Jihad to feel burdened with a reality that seems grim. But she ordered two pieces of cheesecake and was her normal self.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
Noor hasn't been attacked before, and I certainly hope both Jihad and I are also fortunate enough to never have to defend ourselves from a physical attack. Safety is not a privilege, it is a right. But sometimes you have to fight for it—you have to burst through the door to a safe space. And now at least Jihad has a key.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
<em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">All photos courtesy Konga Fitness</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.8px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 650px;">
<em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Source: https://sports.vice.com/ca/article/the-key-to-fighting-gendered-islamophobia </em></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-25234683360283593032015-01-12T15:59:00.000+00:002015-01-12T15:59:15.214+00:00Honey Thaljieh on TEDx<div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; color: rgb(32, 32, 32) !important; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: 22.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Honey Thaljieh is former captain of the Palestinian Woman's football team and currently working at FIFA in Zurich. </span></span></h3>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/SOB7UwEeo0w?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-27836377227031555402014-11-14T11:35:00.001+00:002014-11-14T11:35:21.234+00:00A new video by a British amateur filmmaker<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/108779707" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/108779707">Islam, women & Sport.</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user23365361">Dominic</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-29857094311218205182014-11-13T19:54:00.000+00:002014-11-13T19:54:09.427+00:00Mumbra's Muslim girls kick out stereotypes<table style="background-color: white; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 887px;"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><table style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 883px;"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="text" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; width: 439px;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">By Kamayani Bali-Mahabal</strong></td><td class="auto-style13" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right; width: 438px;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="textxx" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><table align="right" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="float: right; height: 260px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 320px;"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" vliagn="top"><div align="right" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
They started off as a secret sports club. What brought them together was their shared love for football, a game they couldn't dream of playing owing to their conservative family backgrounds. After all, how could young girls, who weren't even allowed to step out of their homes without the 'hijab' (veil), run around kicking ball in an open field? But they showed exceptional courage when they defied parental dictate to pursue their passion for the sport. Three years back, Sabah Khan, Salma Ansari, Sabah Parveen, Aquila, Saadia and 40 other girls got out of their homes in Mumbra, a small town 40 kilometres from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to play football. Today, this group that calls itself Parcham, inspired by Asrar ul Haq Majaz, an Urdu poet who saw women as crusaders with an inherent quality to revolt against exploitation and injustice, has truly lived up to its name. They have not only broken gender stereotypes by regularly playing football but have been responsible for bridging the gap between the Muslims and the Hindus in their communally volatile city. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Sabah Khan, the captain of this unique all-girls team, recalls how their journey of change began, "Around 2011, a bunch of us were approached by the NGO Magic Bus that uses sports as a means to help poor children lead a better life. They wanted to teach football to both girls and boys but we told them that in Mumbra Muslim girls cannot take up a sport let alone play alongside boys. That's when they decided to exclusively train girls who were keen to try out something they had only dreamt of."<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The target was to put together a group of 40 girls but that was easier said than done. "Most of us hail from families that struggle to make ends meet. We can never really spare time for fun and games. We study, chip in at home or work. That's why we were unable to personally go to motivate girls to join in. However, some of us decided to make pamphlets and distribute them outside girls' schools and colleges. Apart from that we also approached the local wing of the Maharashtra Mahila Parishad that works with several self help groups to see if any of their members would be interested in sending their girls for this programme. In this way, we managed to build a team," elaborates Sabah. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The next challenge was to find a ground to practice on. "We went to every school and college in the vicinity that had a ground to find out whether they would allow us to play for two hours every Sunday. Unfortunately, no one was agreeable," shares the articulate leader. It was a member of the Mahila Parishad, who spoke to a board member of a temple trust to secure permission for using the open space around it for playing.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />At the outset, the girls decided to call their team 'Parcham'. Aquila, one of the founding members, narrates the story behind it, "We decided to call ourselves 'Parcham' as we are inspired by Asrar ul Haq Majaz, better known as Majaz Lakhnawi. Through his romantic, revolutionary verses, Majaz urged women to look at the hijab not as a barrier but as a flag or banner. He has written: 'Tere maathe pe ye aanchal bauhat hi khoob hai, lekin tu is aanchal se ik parcham bana leti to achcha tha… (The veil covering your head and face is beautiful, but if you make a flag out of it, it would be better)'. We, too, have transformed something that many see as a sign of repression into a symbol of revolution." <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Through sports Parcham strives to build a just and equal society that is respectful of diversity and celebrates difference and interdependence. Their mission is to empower marginalised communities to access their fundamental rights, creating spaces for dialogue among diverse sections of society. "And our one great achievement has been getting official recognition for our struggle to get a playground for the girls," says Aquila. Last year, after they started a massive signature campaign with the support of 900 girls from across Mumbra, their demand for a ground was finally acknowledged. Female students from various schools, under the leadership of Parcham, wrote a joint letter stating: "We wish to play football and other sports. We believe that through sports we also come together in unity, forgetting our religious and other differences."<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />When they met with MLA Jeetendra Awhad he was amazed to see this strength of association. He told them that it was perhaps for the first time that 900 girls had got together to ask for a playground to be reserved for them. He also assured them of their very own space to play. "That promise was fulfilled and the football-loving girls of Mumbra are now able to practice freely. Moreover, the move gave a boost to our campaign that motivates girls and women to reclaim open spaces," states Aquila. Their dedicated practice sessions have fetched Parcham some rich rewards. They have won two major local tournaments - one in November 2013 and another in March 2014. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Of course, if the struggles of the group have been remarkable, then so are their individual journeys. Take the case of Saadia Bano (name changed). "When I had first heard about Parcham I immediately wanted to be a part of it. However, I did not have the courage to speak to my parents. I am not allowed to move from home without a 'hijab', so imagine them allowing me to play football! Initially, I used to step out every Sunday telling them that I was going to visit some friend. Then one day when I took my brother's T-shirt to wear for a tournament my mother immediately suspected that I was doing something without telling them. When she confronted me I had to confess to her and my sister."<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Saadia's brothers still have no inkling. "After I won a trophy at a tournament I told them that it was a friend's. There are many like me who cannot yet be completely honest with all their family members. We don't want to make them unhappy nor do we want our freedom curtailed. This way we all get what we want," she says. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Adds Salma Ansari, 22, who has supportive parents and is pursuing an MBA degree, "What we need is for the society to accept that girls have an equal right to public spaces; that they too deserve to experience the joy of being able to run free, kick a ball, hold a bat, sprint, jump or swim. Nowadays, we are trying to break gender stereotypes by training a group of 50 young boys and girls together." The religious divide, too, has been overcome with the inclusion of girls from other faiths. Simran, 15, the youngest member of the team, is a Sikh. "We have so many misconceptions about other religions. But perceptions and attitudes change when we meet and interact. Being in Parcham, I am learning about gender, equality, justice… Watch out, I am a feminist in the making!" she says emphatically. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />What's next on Parcham's agenda? "We want to set up a resource centre for our girls, complete with books, newspapers, computers and a wi-fi network. Every Saturday, we plan to hold meetings where we can discuss the latest news and concepts like secularism and citizenship to enable everyone to think and form opinions on subjects they are passionate about. The centre will be a safe haven for Muslims and non-Muslims to build friendships," says Sabah. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />In the home town of Ishrat Jahan, the young woman who was tragically shot in an encounter in Ahmedabad in 2004, these girls are gearing up to drive out prejudice and hatred. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />—(Women's Feature Service)<br />Source: http://www.kashmirtimes.in/newsdet.aspx?q=38270</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-4795328199716760362014-11-12T18:52:00.003+00:002014-11-12T18:52:50.723+00:00'It may take 10 years to tackle football's lack of diversity' - FA Council member Rimla Akhtar<div class="widget storyContent article widget-editable viziwyg-section-1503 inpage-widget-8697393" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; outline: none;">
<span class="storyTop ip-ed ip-af-9853069-LEADTEXT ip-s-1740" style="outline: none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_tQMk5F-ydXucEXrRDJH2fqG6cHdtMwMCZv62qkSwLCQSLnypjtD1bPPgL01btYY3fdiLoiwotZOMGR_-x-H4x0-f0Z_8b87MXaHLkeMmOrSL4BRpMxKjWQdNOC4du3wbS9owiB9uXY/s1600/63RimlaAkhtar1111a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_tQMk5F-ydXucEXrRDJH2fqG6cHdtMwMCZv62qkSwLCQSLnypjtD1bPPgL01btYY3fdiLoiwotZOMGR_-x-H4x0-f0Z_8b87MXaHLkeMmOrSL4BRpMxKjWQdNOC4du3wbS9owiB9uXY/s400/63RimlaAkhtar1111a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal !important; outline: none;">
Five months ago, Rimla Akhtar became the first Muslim woman on the FA Council. In a body which Football Association chairman, Greg Dyke, says is “overwhelmingly male and white”, Akhtar is seen as the ideal role model for the Asian community.</div>
</span></div>
<div class="widget storyContent article widget-editable viziwyg-section-1503 inpage-widget-8697396" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; outline: none;">
<div class="body ip-ed ip-af-9853069-BODY ip-s-1740" style="outline: none;">
<div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal !important; outline: none;">
But, when I mention this, the 32-year-old chartered accountant smiles and says: “That’s up to others to decide.”</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal !important; outline: none;">
She is one of six women on the</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal !important; outline: none;">
121-strong FA Council, which helps decide major policy for the governing body, and her appointment comes at a time when the lack of diversity in positions of power within the game is a hot topic.</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal !important; outline: none;">
Yesterday’s report by the Sport Person’s Think Tank highlighted the problem with just 19 of the 552 ‘top’ coaching positions at English clubs being held by blacks and ethnic minorities. The only bosses are Chris Powell (right) at Huddersfield and Keith Curle at Carlisle.</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal !important; outline: none;">
“It is unacceptable that we have only two black League managers when something like 30 per cent of players within football are from the black community,” says Akhtar. “We need to see how we can open up football to more diverse managers. It’s a problem right across football, we also have very few black board members. Change does need to happen.”</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal !important; outline: none;">
It has been suggested that football should adopt its own version of the NFL’s Rooney Rule, whereby clubs must interview at least one black or minority ethnic candidate for a managerial vacancy.</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal !important; outline: none;">
However, Akhtar says: “For me, quotas are a short-term strategy. I wouldn’t want to be selected for something because I’m a woman, because I’m Asian or because I’m Muslim. I would like to be selected on merit. I’ve had people really close to me, relatives even, that have said, ‘you do realise that you’re being included just because you wear the scarf’.</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal !important; outline: none;">
“In the long term, it’s about making the sports environment more inclusive. That’s what’s lacking right now. We need to get an inclusive mindset as well as action on the ground.”</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal !important; outline: none;">
Source: http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/it-may-take-10-years-to-tackle-footballs-lack-of-diversity--fa-council-member-rimla-akhtar-9853069.html</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-53784756115672965602014-06-26T07:51:00.001+01:002014-06-26T07:51:14.097+01:00Al Sadd wins Women's Handball Cup title<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLlR080LVHwQFuBlJdXHDIJytE7qkrBfwL_5YVPCGzeT4C_11nhjBMSDEJ1qAnVYQgOTYAitLt90k1Fhiw7rAXq0ApcGt5WBnRO4kFV7YNeUuJNJy7ZokOwhdBUpzkib2VK-xI3dvm28/s1600/Al+Sadd+wins+Women's+%5Bqatarisbooming.com%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLlR080LVHwQFuBlJdXHDIJytE7qkrBfwL_5YVPCGzeT4C_11nhjBMSDEJ1qAnVYQgOTYAitLt90k1Fhiw7rAXq0ApcGt5WBnRO4kFV7YNeUuJNJy7ZokOwhdBUpzkib2VK-xI3dvm28/s1600/Al+Sadd+wins+Women's+%5Bqatarisbooming.com%5D.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="section field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="field-item odd" property="content:encoded" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="rtejustify" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
Al Sadd won Qatar Cup title for the women's handball after beating Al Rayyan team today on 37-32 in the match that took place on Wednesday evening at Al Gharafa Club.</div>
<div class="rtejustify" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="rtejustify" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
Qatar Handball Association Ahmed Mohammed Al-Shaabi and Qatar Women Sports Committee (QWSC) President Ahlam Al Mana presented the championship trophy and gold medals to Al Sadd, and the silver medals to Al Rayyan teams.</div>
<div class="rtejustify" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
Source: http://www.qatarisbooming.com/article/al-sadd-wins-womens-handball-cup-title </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-40430604869111848252014-06-01T11:00:00.001+01:002014-06-01T11:00:47.900+01:00Iranian female junior cycling team wins first Asian medal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4LyODKv3MTyvQnm-8pS0M6tuKYtAbsMBV2tpVywiQ25wkvj8_0Z2eHJlUCDAmMFvcq2bP6F3wbfzGfy-oBnSRbIMeY2FB202Z1Fnjvg-3Z67R8X0GKsQ2Xwy9M-tsXBR381nu3bmRR4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-06-01+at+10.59.46.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4LyODKv3MTyvQnm-8pS0M6tuKYtAbsMBV2tpVywiQ25wkvj8_0Z2eHJlUCDAmMFvcq2bP6F3wbfzGfy-oBnSRbIMeY2FB202Z1Fnjvg-3Z67R8X0GKsQ2Xwy9M-tsXBR381nu3bmRR4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-06-01+at+10.59.46.png" height="332" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
The Iranian female junior cycling team has created history in their country for winning</div>
<div>
Bronze in 2014 Asian Cycling Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan on Monday, making their</div>
<div>
mark in Asian cycling</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
This win has also marked the first Asian Championships medal by Iranian female</div>
<div>
cyclists.</div>
<div>
With this medal, Iran has received 6 medals, including 2 silvers and 4 bronze ones in the</div>
<div>
2014 Asian Cycling Championships.</div>
<div>
Photo taken from Josiah Ng’s Instagram: Follow him at @josiahcyclist</div>
<div>
(http://instagram.com/josiahcyclist)</div>
</div>
Source: http://www.baikbike.com/iranian-female-junior-cycling-team-wins-first-asian-medal/<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-37092605558485512572014-06-01T10:54:00.000+01:002014-06-01T10:54:44.763+01:00Pakistani female Judokas to help Indian athletes prepare for Commonwealth Games<div class="story-image-container" style="background-color: #f3f0e7; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: table-cell; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', times-roman, serif; font-size: 12px; height: 470px; line-height: 18.001798629760742px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;">
<img alt="" height="300" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/714442-GirlsjudoPHOTOSMUHAMMADJAVAIDZAFARASLAM-1401292024-678-640x480.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="400" /></div>
<div class="caption" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; overflow: hidden; padding: 10px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">
According to Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF) secretary Masood Ahmed, the female squad received rave reviews at the South Asian Championship in Nepal in April. PHOTOS: MUHAMMAD JAVAID & ZAFAR ASLAM/ FILE</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="color: #3b3838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0px 10px; text-align: justify;">
Pakistani women may not be catching a ticket to the Commonwealth Games themselves, but they can certainly help their Indian counterparts prepare for the Commonwealth Games’ Judo competition scheduled for next month.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="color: #3b3838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0px 10px; text-align: justify;">
The 10-women squad including South Asian Judo Championship gold medalist Humera Ashique, silver medalists Mariam Jabbar, Beenish Khan, bronze medalists Ambreen Masih, Shumaila Gul, Fauzia Mumtaz and emerging talent Aqsa Hussain, Rabia Babar and Iran Shahzadi will travel to Patiala in June.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="color: #3b3838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0px 10px; text-align: justify;">
According to Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF) secretary Masood Ahmed, the female squad received rave reviews at the South Asian Championship in Nepal in April.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="color: #3b3838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0px 10px; text-align: justify;">
Ahmed said that since Pakistan is not fielding a team at Commonwealth Games due to Pakistan Olympics Association and Pakistan Government conflict, the athletes will now help the neighbours to vie for the title in Glasgow in July.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="color: #3b3838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0px 10px; text-align: justify;">
“Since we can’t go, we’ll help them, we are South Asian nationss anyway, it’s a great deal for both parties,” Ahmed told The Express Tribune.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="color: #3b3838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0px 10px; text-align: justify;">
Ahmed said that the Indian official Mukesh Kumar invited Pakistani athletes to Patiala for the training sessions for 20 days.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="color: #3b3838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0px 10px; text-align: justify;">
“It’s going to happen next month, we’ve been invited to Patiala where the Indian squad is preparing,” said Ahmed.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="color: #3b3838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0px 10px; text-align: justify;">
“Kumar invited our female athletes because they are impressive, they’ve given a tough competition to the Indian, Nepalese and Sri Lankan judokas in the championship,” he said.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="color: #3b3838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0px 10px; text-align: justify;">
Furthermore, he proposed that Pakistani women can come to the Indian national camp in Patiala, where they have the best facilities for the sports. Ahmed said that the practice with Pakistani athletes will help the Indian women improve for Commonwealth Games.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="color: #3b3838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0px 10px; text-align: justify;">
“It will also be a great amount of exposure for our squad.”</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="color: #3b3838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0px 10px; text-align: justify;">
Ahmed added that the invitation means more than just an opportunity.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="color: #3b3838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0px 10px; text-align: justify;">
“It is recognition of our talent by our counter-parts, and it’s welcoming. It’s an encouragement for our athletes that they are good enough and that their efforts are not going unseen. In many ways it is an honour and a great way to promote healthy relations between two nations,” said Ahmed.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="color: #3b3838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0px 10px; text-align: justify;">
He said that the team’s visas are in the process and hopefully they will get the documents for travel on time, as the Indian Judo Federation is cooperating with Pakistan.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="color: #3b3838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0px 10px; text-align: justify;">
http://tribune.com.pk/story/714442/pakistani-female-judokas-to-help-indian-athletes-prepare-for-commonwealth-games/</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-35532464530477183492014-04-15T08:40:00.002+01:002014-04-15T08:41:13.096+01:00Physical education for Saudi girls stirs debate<div class="article-info" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: Arial; font-size: 0.83em; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 10px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">
Staff Writer, Al Arabiya News<br />
Tuesday, 15 April 2014</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9MO9g_LMtaS9sDQWixzC4_urSW0bTC4ZH4fTgkzPGKfwlWlWZ4o029hpbR8TJrUleSHGcsKQoXTtzx8nSo_mmkforjcEcn74Hx638kHs825dRr9FzaRUn3GV1Ri42EBhD7S8C8g3f6o/s1600/f47f2dba-1b10-4f32-aebe-f04c8d29e93d_16x9_788x442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9MO9g_LMtaS9sDQWixzC4_urSW0bTC4ZH4fTgkzPGKfwlWlWZ4o029hpbR8TJrUleSHGcsKQoXTtzx8nSo_mmkforjcEcn74Hx638kHs825dRr9FzaRUn3GV1Ri42EBhD7S8C8g3f6o/s1600/f47f2dba-1b10-4f32-aebe-f04c8d29e93d_16x9_788x442.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reuters</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
A step to introduce physical education for girls at Saudi government schools has become the talk of the town in the kingdom, with many hailing it as a positive development and some slamming it as a threat to social values.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Last week, the government advisory Shura Council called on the country’s education ministry to look into including sports for girls at state-run schools on condition that they are in line with Sharia rules on dress and gender segregation, according to the Saudi Press Agency.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Meanwhile, Mohammed al-Saleh, secretary-general of the Higher Education Council, told <a href="http://www.makkahnewspaper.com/makkahNews/loacal/37086#.U0tSv_l_uSo" style="color: #6d276a; display: inline; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">makkahnewspaper.com</a>Monday that the next move would be to recruit sports educators from abroad.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
A previous ban on physical education for girls was relaxed in private schools in 2013. The Shura Council’s demand last week to include state-run schools has been welcomed internationally both by the International Olympic Committee and Human Rights Watch.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“It’s a good sign that Saudi authorities appear to realize letting all girls in Saudi Arabia play sports is important to their physical and mental wellbeing,” Sarah Leah Whitson of Human Rights Watch told Agence France Presse.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Al-Watan newspaper <a href="http://www.alwatan.com.sa/Articles/Detail.aspx?ArticleId=20939" style="color: #6d276a; display: inline; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">published</a> a column on Monday with a title that read: “Would you marry a girl who practiced sports?” The columnist criticized and mocked opponents of the move.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
He quoted a two-year old study showing that three-quarters of the country’s population suffered obesity and 75 percent of the women are obese and that 80 percent of secondary diabetes cases were related to obesity.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
The article dismissed conservative voices that are critical of making girls play sports at schools. Some conservative clerics had denounced the move as a “Western innovation,” according to the<a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/middleeast/2014/04/09/pe-classes-for-saudi-girls-inch-closer-to-reality/" style="color: #6d276a; display: inline; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"> Wall Street Journal.</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
One cleric Abdullah Al Dawood even tweeted that “these steps will end in infidelity and prostitution.”</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Speaking to Al Arabiya News from Jeddah, veteran Saudi journalist Omar al-Mudwahi said there was nothing new in the clerical opposition to the move. “The religious institution has always stood against the advancement of women’s rights.”</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Abdullah Hamidaddin, a Saudi writer and commentator on religion and politics, <a href="http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2014/04/11/Pulling-the-rug-girls-sports-and-the-erosion-of-Saudi-religious-authority.html" style="color: #6d276a; display: inline; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">wrote in a recent column on Al Arabiya news</a> that the Shura Counci’s move “is not a decision about girls practicing sports. Nor is it one about women rights. This is a decision to push back the authority of the religious institution.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“The easiest way to explain what happened is to say that there are zealots whose interpretation of Islamic scripture is misogynic and thus believe that the only option women have is to lie down and die. Thus the government decided to intervene and give women some hope of a natural life,” Hamidaddin added.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Journalist Mudwahi noted that the plan to introduce physical education for girls in public schools is part of comprehensive government response to high obesity rates among women.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“Municipalities across the kingdom are also creating long pedestrian walkways special for women especially after repeated health ministry figures showing high obesity and diabetes rates among women,” he said.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“Previously all physical education centers are extensions of hospitals as if it is a disease, as if female sports is a disease and it is very expensive,” al-Mudwahi said.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“As a man, it would cost me 300 riyals ($80) per month to go to gym. But it would cost my wife or my daughter about 1000 riyals ($266),” he explained.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
He noted that unlike universities, most schools in the primary and secondary education are not equipped with physical education facilities for girls.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
“This issue has been passed in the Shura Council, but the important question remains: Are our schools ready for such thing? Of course no,” he said. But within a few years, most schools are likely to have physical education facilities if there is a legal framework for girls to practice sport.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
The Saudi Shura Council move is seen as another step empowering women during the reign of King Abdullah, after appointing women into the legislative Shura Council and allowing them to practice different professions which weren’t allowed before such as law.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/features/2014/04/15/Physical-education-for-girls-stirs-debate-in-Saudi-Arabia.html</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-55391312146256950902014-03-14T09:35:00.001+00:002014-03-14T09:35:55.000+00:00Tour De Farm and BBQ: Join MADE’s first annual London to Oxford cycle ride<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJofgQ4m5xpbhHuyW9Ik1sP3Bo5Xmelb5IpUwGg4Lz8EBjavxe2UseQUp8IBLhaaE7hg8lrEbTJ2QBO62jz-jOz3zDdcankf3GxBWydxGEX5K3S6Qh2277dCM8GRXAGDQizOR-vj562w/s1600/MADE+in+Europe+Tour+De+Farm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJofgQ4m5xpbhHuyW9Ik1sP3Bo5Xmelb5IpUwGg4Lz8EBjavxe2UseQUp8IBLhaaE7hg8lrEbTJ2QBO62jz-jOz3zDdcankf3GxBWydxGEX5K3S6Qh2277dCM8GRXAGDQizOR-vj562w/s1600/MADE+in+Europe+Tour+De+Farm.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">MADE in Europe is a Muslim youth-led organisation working to mobilise Muslim communities in the UK to live more ethically and sustainably. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Join MADE for a 100km ride through the glorious Oxfordshire countryside to Willowbrook Farm ending with a delicious ethical BBQ of tayyib meat produced on the farm. Experience off-the-grid sustainable living in action and explore Willowbrook Organic Farm, the UK’s first organic <b>halal</b> farm.<br /><br />Get your friends and family to come along to spend the day on the farm and join you for the BBQ at the end of your journey. Everyone is welcome!<br /><br />Please raise upwards of £100 for the cycle or just £12 for the farm visit and BBQ. </span><span style="color: #141823;"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Register here: <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tour-de-farm-and-bbq-tickets-10585179557" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/<wbr></wbr>e/tour-de-farm-and-bbq-<wbr></wbr>tickets-10585179557</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br />Sarah Javaid<u></u><u></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
Executive Director<u></u><u></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<u></u><u></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-39489645323555879082014-03-05T16:02:00.001+00:002014-03-06T21:12:50.149+00:00I'm a Footballer Who Happens to Wear Hijab -- I Didn't Need FIFA to Tell Me That<br />
<header style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 22px;"><h1 style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 40px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: small;">By: Shireen Ahmed</span></h1>
</header><section style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 22px;"><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Here is my reality.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I have been contacted many, many times since March 1 when FIFA announced that IFAB formally <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/sport/football/2014/03/fifa-allows-hijab-turban-players-20143113053667394.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(140, 140, 140); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #111111; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">overturned their decision </a>to ban headcoverings on the pitch. </div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Family, friends and colleagues have sent me congratulatory notes and news reports. </div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Since July 2012, I have <a href="http://footybedsheets.tumblr.com/post/34796730267/unveiling-hijab-on-the-pitch" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(140, 140, 140); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #111111; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">blogged</a>, written and expressed happiness, <a href="http://footybedsheets.tumblr.com/post/47754651646/breaking-news-fifa-approved-hijab-on-the-pitch-now" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(140, 140, 140); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #111111; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">hope</a>, gratitude and <a href="http://footybedsheets.tumblr.com/post/45031122668/quebec-soccer-federation-finally-allowing-hijab-on" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(140, 140, 140); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #111111; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">sometimes frustration</a> with this process.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
One more step towards the pitch! </div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I was elated. </div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Women from all qualifying nations will attend the Women’s World Cup 2015 in Canada. My country. There will be women from Asia, Africa and from Europe. There will be women in hijab, in pants and in shorts.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
As it should be. I was thrilled initially. </div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Now, I am exhausted.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I am drained from the process. I lost time away from the sport I have know and identified with since I was a very young child.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
It was a part of my identity. It was a part of my routine. It was a part of my life.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I found other ways to <a href="http://footybedsheets.tumblr.com/post/65078538988/i-coach-i-have-coached-football-since-i-was-15" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(140, 140, 140); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #111111; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">be involved, be motivated, and get fulfillment. </a></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I have written and opined about FIFA’s stance. I have <a href="http://footybedsheets.tumblr.com/post/41047680939/part-two-beautiful-women-energy-in-the-pics-is" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(140, 140, 140); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #111111; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">shared pictures </a>of radiating women who love the game and who <a href="http://footybedsheets.tumblr.com/post/41281938960/arab-women-springing-into-football-stadiums" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(140, 140, 140); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #111111; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">defy cultural norms</a> to enjoy it. Those <a href="http://www.ahmadzai.eu/en/allgemein-en/a-wmans-goal" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(140, 140, 140); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #111111; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">connected and inspired by it.</a></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<img alt="Got this beautiful picture from Lela Ahmadzai’s website. This particular image makes me incredibly happy. My mother always taught me I could “be anyone and play anything”. I hope young women all over the world hear that message at some point in their lives. It doesn’t have to be football. It can be something they love and something they crave. Women’s Advocacy, Sport, Environmentalism, Hobbies but something. So that they know, and the world understands, that everyone has a contribution to make. Women need that chance. And that encouragement. Lela has captured the resilience and passion of the women in Afghanistan and their love for the beautiful game. Do check out her amazing work: http://www.ahmadzai.eu/en/allgemein-en/a-wmans-goal I watch this short film a lot. It reminds me of my privilege. I am very aware of my ability to play safely and teach my daughter the same. I have posted it and will continue to post it again. And again. And Again." src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/bb7d9d522d3ebaf94921b401a1594fa2/tumblr_mipkfxu8Ke1rys913o1_500.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
And those who <a href="http://www.asafeworldforwomen.org/global-news/africa/s-africa/3395-dangerous-game.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(140, 140, 140); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #111111; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">risk their lives </a>to play it.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
What I did not say was how I suffered from sheer resentment and difficulty when I was not allowed to compete. </div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I am allowing myself to say it now. </div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I longed for the the thrill of the sprint, and the rush of the challenge.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
And the goal. The beautiful goal.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I even craved the hit of the post or the uncontrolled shot that went wide. </div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I missed it desperately.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
But I chose to cover for personal reasons and told myself my connection to my Creator was stronger than my connection to football.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
What I didn’t recognize was those two connections were not mutually exclusive. </div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I understand the anger and frustration of <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/sport/football/2011/06/201166124927699569.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(140, 140, 140); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #111111; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">women</a> who were told “NO”.<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/rule-against-hijab-stands-world-soccer-body-1.660585" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(140, 140, 140); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #111111; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Who were told “NO”</a> by an organization that is supposed to create opportunity and advocate for the Beautiful Game.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I started wearing hijab in 1997. I played my last season in the fall. I was told I had to either “take it off on the pitch” or “wait until I was ready to commit fully to the rules of the game”.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
There was no specific law against (that would come in 2007) it but nothing allowing it either.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I walked away from the pitch.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
My heart broke. But I quickly wiped my angry tears with my hijab. It provided me tight comfort and strength against this sporting injustice.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I played pick-up. I played at picnics. At family gatherings. I played at any opportunity. I played against my husband. I played with my children.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
But I was used to playing in leagues, in matches with referees and full of politics and drama. </div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I remember watching one of my heroes, Zinedine Zidane hoist the World Cup over his head in glory in 1998.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
It was the first summer I did not play.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
His victory as a Frenchman of Muslim-Algerian descent was bittersweet for me. He was of my faith. But he was playing.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I practice his roulette anyway. Just in case I might need it someday.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Life went on. I cheered, I watched and I fooled around with a ball. I did not play regularly. </div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<img alt="image" src="http://www.sabotagetimes.com/wp-content/uploads/zalebadji-vip-blog-com-736814bg_wm98_dpa_400.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
After what seemed like several lifetimes, I found a league that <a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/shireen-ahmed/worth-it/2381918276" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(140, 140, 140); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #111111; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">would accept me.</a> </div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I went back hesitant and I went back happily.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I tasted the joy in the sweat rolling down my face.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I loved it. I stayed for years and then I found the courage to venture out and challenge this.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I found a club that agreed.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
And I remember what I always knew: I was a footballer who wore hijab.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Not a hijab-wearing woman who played football.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Fast forward to 2014 when Jerome Valcke announced: <span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"It was decided that female players can cover their heads to play". </span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Muslim women *could* always play.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Now they are *permitted*.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Semantics.</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/719c4ab9de2c11e621609c74216f7758/tumblr_inline_n1ww26FUHI1rr8qf6.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How can I laud FIFA for striking down a law that should have never been implemented in the first place?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How can I be grateful for someone allowing me to do what I should ahve always been allowed do?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Why was I made to choose?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How can you choose between your heart and soul?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thank God my daughter won’t have to face that choice.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Someone pointed this out to me: “<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">funny how the west tells us that hijab is oppressive yet they use it to oppress hijabis by banning them from playing sports”.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">That isn’t funny. </span>It is horrible. </div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Last year, I was sidelined from football due to what turned out to be a full blowout of my <a href="http://footybedsheets.tumblr.com/post/47252123520/ligaments-and-other-awesome-things" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(140, 140, 140); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #111111; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">ACL </a>. Being ripped away from the game in this manner was painful. But it was of my volition. I was injured in a match, while in play. My choice.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Being ripped from the game because a lot of white, privileged men decided it was dangerous for me and the sport was torturous. Their choice.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And it was unfair.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">So, today I am not “happy”. I am disappointed that I lost time and energy.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">My joy is tapered with simple relief. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In future, I will not let it <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/overturned-turban-ban-a-painful-memory-for-quebec-soccer-player/article17190062/?cmpid=rss1&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(140, 140, 140); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #111111; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">ruin other childhoods </a>and affect and exclude people.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Football is for all of us.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It should always have been.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Source: http://footybedsheets.tumblr.com/post/78519986470/my-thoughts-hijab-on-the-pitch</span></div>
</section><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Shireen Ahmedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16948930996783120199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-84663256674535514682014-03-04T23:27:00.000+00:002014-03-04T23:27:16.994+00:00This MMA Fighter Is Asian, Female and Muslim <div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
BY: DAVID STOUT</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
In the first round of her professional mixed-martial-arts (MMA) debut, <a href="http://topics.time.com/malaysia/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Malaysia</a>’s Ann Osman took close to 30 knees to the midsection from her opponent, <a href="http://topics.time.com/singapore/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Singapore</a>’s Sherilyn Lim.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
“You’ve broken her!” Lim’s trainer could be heard shouting, as Lim leaned against the cage of the Singapore Indoor Stadium.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
In the second and third rounds, Osman took more devastating knee and head strikes, but responded with knees of her own along with takedowns and crushing ground and pound. Both fighters were unloading whopping lefts and straight rights as the final bell rang. But after 15 minutes of brawling, Lim’s hand was raised in a split-decision victory.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
ONE Fighting Championship’s Total Domination event, held in October, was a disappointment for Osman, but “I definitely gave my best during the fight,” the Malaysian tells TIME.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
And despite her defeat, the bout captured the public’s imagination. On March 14, following immense pressure from both fans and media, ONE FC, the largest MMA promotion in Asia, will host a rematch between Lim and Osman — only this time in Osman’s home country.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
The fight, which will be broadcast in 28 different countries, will contain several firsts. This will be Osman’s first fight in front of her fellow Malaysians, and it will be the first time a female Muslim fighter has competed on the global stage in a country where the official religion is Islam.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
“There’s an empowering element to women in Asia to see a strong, confident, fit female competing on a world scale, on a world stage, especially if you’re Muslim or if you’re from a Muslim country like Malaysia,” says ONE FC CEO Victor Cui.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
Not many sports give women similar prestige as their male counterparts, but the growing prominence of female UFC stars such as Ronda Rousey, Liz Carmouche and Miesha Tate has almost given MMA that distinction. And with <a href="http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/10/11/with-a-spinning-elbow-and-flying-kick-mixed-martial-arts-squares-up-to-asia/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">the meteoric rise of MMA in Asia</a>, ever more women are taking up the sport, and breaking fresh ground as they do.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
“Having a female fight in a Muslim country like Malaysia is going to be a first,” says Cui. “There’s a huge cultural implication.”</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
Malaysia may not be <a href="http://topics.time.com/saudi-arabia/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Saudi Arabia</a> or Iran, but religious conservatism is increasingly prevalent there. In October, the <a href="http://world.time.com/2013/10/15/allah-means-god-unless-youre-a-christian-in-malaysia/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">country’s courts</a> ruled that only Muslims have the legal right to use the word <em>Allah</em>, sparking fierce protests from the nation’s Christian minority, who have longed used the same word for God.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
Nevertheless, Osman, 27, says she has never felt ostracized because of her gender or decision to push boundaries. “I’m fortunate to not have felt any of that pressure about me being Muslim and a female MMA fighter at the same time,” says the Sabah native. “I’m very fortunate to have the support from everyone I know.”</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
According to Malaysian MMA pioneer Melvin Yeoh, Osman’s acceptance comes from both ONE FC’s assertive marketing in tandem with MMA’s official recognition by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, one of three sports to have the state’s blessing.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<img alt="One Fighting Championship - Total Domination: Weigh In" src="http://timekeepingscore.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/ann-osman.jpg?w=360&h=240&crop=1" /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Ann Osman of Malaysia poses on the scale during the official weigh-in for her bout against Sherilyn Lim of Singapore ahead of the One Fighting Championship bout in Singapore on Oct. 17, 2013</span></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
“She’s a Muslim and people saw what she can do and then they thought, this we can also do,” says Yeoh.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
While only 10 or so women trained at Yeoh’s fighting camp in Johor Bahru throughout 2013, in the wake of Osman’s October bout and the hype surrounding the upcoming rematch, interest in MMA from female athletes has snowballed. In January alone, he saw more than 20 women sign up.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
According to Cui, it’s emphasizing narratives like Osman’s and playing off historical geopolitical rivalries like the one that exists between Singapore and Malaysia that is essential to MMA sinking deep roots into emerging Asian markets. “It’s Malaysia vs. Singapore, and those guys have a very, very extremely heated competition,” he says.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
When ONE FC started investing in Malaysia in earnest two years ago there were only a handful of MMA gyms. Fast-forward to 2014, and there are now more than 30 operating in the capital Kuala Lumpur. This only adds to the competition between the nations. Singapore currently has around 10 fighting gyms.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
“Singapore says they have better fighters, Malaysia says they have better fighters, so it’s a never-ending debate,” explains Yeoh.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
But it’s not just regional rivalry that is stoking anticipation, as these women can actually fight. MMA blog Bloody Elbow nominated the third round of their previous encounter for the site’s “Round of the Year” for 2013.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
For Osman, though, there’s only one prize in her sights. “I am definitely taking home the win in front of my hometown crowd,” she says. “First-round knockout!”</div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br />Source:<br /><a href="http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2014/03/04/muslim-female-mma-fighter-ann-osman/#ixzz2v2VIwl6J" style="color: #003399; text-decoration: none;">TIME.com</a> <a href="http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2014/03/04/muslim-female-mma-fighter-ann-osman/#ixzz2v2VIwl6J" style="color: #003399; text-decoration: none;">http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2014/03/04/muslim-female-mma-fighter-ann-osman/#ixzz2v2VIwl6J</a></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Shireen Ahmedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16948930996783120199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-27248230356654506442014-02-15T15:35:00.001+00:002014-02-15T15:37:33.286+00:00Soccer Scandal: Iran's Female Stars Face Random Gender Tests<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div>
<address class="stack-byline" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-family: proxima_nova_ltsemibold, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.25rem; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify; text-transform: uppercase;">
<b style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: #444444;">BY ALI AROUZI AND HENRY AUSTIN</span></b></address>
<div class="ember-view stack-capsule-wrapper" id="ember914" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxima_nova_rgregular, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 28px;">
<div class="ember-view" id="ember917" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5rem; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 1rem; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: #444444;">TEHRAN -- Iran’s female soccer pros face random gender tests after seven people were disqualified from the league because they were deemed not to be women.</span></span></div>
<div class="ember-view" id="ember918" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5rem; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 1rem; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: #444444;">The "snap checks" have been introduced by the <a href="http://www.ffiri.ir/en/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran</a>, according to Ahmad Hashemian, who heads its medical committee.</span></span></div>
<div class="ember-view ad-location" id="ember923" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<div class="ad-container" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<div class="ad-content" data-bindattr-27="27" id="moceanTop-news-world-n26221-ember923" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1rem; margin-left: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div class="ember-view" id="ember943" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="ember-view" id="ember924" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5rem; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 1rem; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: #444444;">Teams are required to perform gender tests on any woman signing a professional contract and pass the results on to the federation, Hashemian said. However, many clubs previously failed to comply with the regulation. The rule was introduced about three years ago after a team raised concerns that an opponent's goalkeeper was a man.</span></span></div>
<div class="ember-view" id="ember925" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5rem; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 1rem; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: #444444;">Seven people have now been disqualified from playing in the women’s league, while four others are waiting to hear back from the federation.</span></span></div>
<br />
<figure class="ember-view image spanFull" id="ember929" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><div class="stack-l-figure-container-img" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yCKcS0MM9If049SwEUp82weRGGtWbJMsLYdR9U78_qw5racR-mhbmK2cQrlgKZtUYT8-t2bFSNycz_qaV0RNxzi45l7_TJith9oUGm7gHx0jdXHrlnhsKk3rKIGa49cl1BhzRvk29vk/s1600/140210-female-iran-soccer-jsw-912a_afd44308c1257ab77f3013db8d6dd5d1.nbcnews-ux-680-480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yCKcS0MM9If049SwEUp82weRGGtWbJMsLYdR9U78_qw5racR-mhbmK2cQrlgKZtUYT8-t2bFSNycz_qaV0RNxzi45l7_TJith9oUGm7gHx0jdXHrlnhsKk3rKIGa49cl1BhzRvk29vk/s1600/140210-female-iran-soccer-jsw-912a_afd44308c1257ab77f3013db8d6dd5d1.nbcnews-ux-680-480.jpg" height="278" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #444444; line-height: 1.25rem; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Iranian female soccer players attend in a training session in Tehran on June 25, 2009.</span></span><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 1.5rem;">The checks are similar to those carried out on South African runner</span><span style="line-height: 1.5rem;"> </span><a href="http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=caster-semenya/index.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5rem; text-decoration: none;">Caster Semenya</a><span style="line-height: 1.5rem;">, who was forced to undergo gender tests before eventually being</span><a href="http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38105633/ns/sports-olympic_sports/" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5rem; text-decoration: none;">cleared to return to action</a><span style="line-height: 1.5rem;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.5rem;">against women.</span></span></span></div>
</div>
</figure><br />
<div class="ember-view" id="ember931" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5rem; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 1rem; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: #444444;">In cases where players are undergoing sex changes, Hashemian said they would be allowed back onto the field when their gender-reassignment procedures had been completed.</span></span></div>
<div class="ember-view" id="ember932" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5rem; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 1rem; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: #444444;">"If these people can solve their problems through surgery and be in a position to receive the necessary medical qualifications, they will then be able to participate in [women's] soccer," he added.</span></span></div>
<div class="ember-view ad-location" id="ember937" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<div class="ad-container" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<div class="ad-content" data-bindattr-28="28" id="moceanTop-news-world-n26221-ember937" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1rem; margin-left: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div class="ember-view" id="ember950" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="ember-view" id="ember938" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5rem; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 1rem; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: #444444;">While Iran has strict laws governing homosexuality, which is punishable by death, sex-change operations are legal as a result of a fatwa - or religious ruling - pronounced by the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.</span></span></div>
<div class="ember-view" id="ember939" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5rem; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 1rem; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: #444444;">Sex changes are recognized in Iranian passports and only Thailand performs more gender-reassignment surgeries.</span></span></div>
<div class="ember-view" id="ember940" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5rem; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 1rem; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: proxima_novaregular_italic, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Henry Austin reported from London.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: #444444;">Source: <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/soccer-scandal-irans-female-stars-face-random-gender-tests-n26221">http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/soccer-scandal-irans-female-stars-face-random-gender-tests-n26221</a></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-38061211531392331582014-02-11T08:36:00.000+00:002014-02-11T08:36:41.635+00:00Meet Muslim Figure Skater Zahra Lari<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/JOVqh96PeQs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: start;">Zahra Lari is an 18-year-old figure skater from the United Arab Emirates who’s known to the folks back home as the “Ice Princess.” This year, she’s already </span><a href="http://eng.islam-today.ru/islam-in-the-world/the-skater-in-hijab-will-perform-at-the-olympics/" style="background-color: white; color: #b80708; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">making headlines</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: start;"> at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: start;">Source: </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">http://colorlines.com/archives/2014/02/meet_emirati_figure_skater_zahra_lari_who_performs_in_hijab.html</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: start;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-71843294822730011162014-02-11T08:28:00.002+00:002014-02-11T08:28:57.518+00:00Saudi soccer debates broadens over women’s rights and nationalism
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>345</o:Words>
<o:Characters>1863</o:Characters>
<o:Company>University of Cambridge</o:Company>
<o:Lines>31</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>6</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>2202</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>By James M. Dorsey</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4cc8KGgMcvvHBYG1GL1KbMD9TFthe6m1bD92-ydG5t1Z5rkpZYA-ZSGdqTxrZ1TU9g3eUzsSVb5t8vLbDdQxIm9aNiLIpW5cpfB-EuGPGS7brbz1U9QHT-tP0TavdJ4QysiTweQDaWU/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4cc8KGgMcvvHBYG1GL1KbMD9TFthe6m1bD92-ydG5t1Z5rkpZYA-ZSGdqTxrZ1TU9g3eUzsSVb5t8vLbDdQxIm9aNiLIpW5cpfB-EuGPGS7brbz1U9QHT-tP0TavdJ4QysiTweQDaWU/s1600/Untitled.png" height="241" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>10</o:Words>
<o:Characters>54</o:Characters>
<o:Company>University of Cambridge</o:Company>
<o:Lines>1</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>63</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<div class="MsoNormal">
Female US Congressional staffers in Riyadh's King Fahd
Stadium, source: James M. Dorsey</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
A Saudi debate about the societal role of soccer expanded
this week with controversy over a group of female American Congressional
staffers being allowed to watch a match in a Riyadh stadium from which Saudi
women are barred and a video in which a teacher encouraged his students to
chant slogans for a soccer club rather than the national anthem.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The expanded debate hooks into a broader debate about
women’s rights in a country that upholds gender segregation; bans women from
driving, attending sports matches and forces women’s soccer clubs to operate in
a legal and social nether land; and in general provides few sporting
opportunities for women. A Saudi student allegedly died earlier this month
after officials at King Saud University refused to allow male emergency
responders entry to the women only section of the campus to apply first aid.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In the latest twist of the debate on women’s rights, Saudi
media quoted female entrepreneurs as saying they were forced to close down
shops because their women employees had difficulty finding affordable transport
to and from work. With relatively few municipal busses offering separate
sections for women, women are forced to either hire a full-time driver or pay
for expensive taxis.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The restrictions on women’s sports appear at odds with
public opinion. A Saudi sociologist concluded in November on the basis of a
survey that the vast majority of Saudis favour granting women the right to
engage in sports. The survey conducted by Mariam Dujain Al-Kaabi as part of her
master thesis showed that 73.5 percent of the respondents unambiguously
endorsed a woman’s right to engage in sports while 21.6 percent felt that it
should be conditional.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
There are no official facilities for female athletes or
physical education programs for girls in schools in the kingdom. Spanish
consultants hired to draft Saudi Arabia’s first ever national sports plan were
instructed by the government to do so for men only.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Saudi Arabia alongside Yemen was the only... (the rest is @<a href="http://mideastsoccer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/saudi-soccer-debates-broadens-over.html" target="_blank">Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer</a>) Continue: <a href="http://mideastsoccer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/saudi-soccer-debates-broadens-over.html">http://mideastsoccer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/saudi-soccer-debates-broadens-over.html</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--><div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-30395684047996529452014-02-10T15:13:00.003+00:002014-02-10T15:13:51.473+00:00Feminizing fighting sports?<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div>
<b><i>By Jasmijn Rana</i></b><br />
<blockquote style="background-color: #fcfcfc; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 1.5em 3em; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Fouzia (the trainer) told us that we were not training hard enough, because she never saw anyone vomit in Ladies-Only kickboxing training. Naima, with whom I was training, responded: “But we’re girls, right? We don’t have to do exactly the same as they do in the men’s training?” Fouzia answered elaborately by sharing a personal experience. One day, she was training with a new male pupil, who told her she could punch and kick as hard as she wanted because she was a girl. So, she did and she said she “totally destroyed him.” Naima just nodded and we continued the exercise. Then she whispered: “Well I don’t want to vomit. Do you?” I shook my head and we continued taking it easy. </em></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="background-color: #fcfcfc; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></em>The phenomenon of Ladies-Only training contests the masculine practice of thai-/kickboxing by challenging the aggressive, competitive and painful nature of the sport. Participation of girls and women in this sport is often initiated as a form of ‘empowerment,’ both by local governments, incited by national policies, and by the gyms. The wider public tends to view kickboxing negatively as an overly aggressive sport. Yet in the case of women, kickboxing is perceived as emancipatory enskillment and as a form of self-defense. My research on female kickboxing practices in the Netherlands demonstrates how ideas of masculinity and femininity are contested and reproduced in sports.</div>
</div>
<div>
Read the rest: http://www.culanth.org/fieldsights/489-sports-provocation<br /><br />Cite as: <span class="author" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17.99995994567871px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rana, Jasmijn</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #777777; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17.99995994567871px;">. </span><span class="title" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17.99995994567871px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Sports: Provocation."</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #777777; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17.99995994567871px;"> Fieldsights - Field Notes, Cultural Anthropology Online, February 10, 2014, http://www.culanth.org/fieldsights/489-sports-provocation</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-68771432781424662692013-12-03T19:35:00.004+00:002013-12-03T19:35:50.763+00:00In the Midst of a Warzone there’s an Afghani Skateboarding School for Girls<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://content.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/skateistan1.jpg" rel="slb_group[29176] slb slb_internal" style="border: 0px; color: #7dbad2; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-29177" height="266" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.messynessychic.com/content.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/570x380xskateistan1.jpg.pagespeed.ic.YU0mGySc20.jpg" style="border: none; display: block; height: auto; margin: 15px 10px 15px 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="skateistan1" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">T</strong></em>oday I learned there’s a skateboarding school in Afghanistan where 40% of its students are female.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
In a part of the world where little girls are getting shot at for promoting women’s education, that’s a pretty impressive statistic. In a part of the world where little girls aren’t even allowed to ride a bicycle, that’s a ground-breaking statistic.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
Officially, this makes Afghanistan the unlikeliest of title holders for the <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">highest rate of female participation in skateboarding out of any country in the world</em>.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://www.lightstalkers.org/galleries/contact_sheet/22144" style="border: 0px; color: #7dbad2; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-29178" height="266" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.messynessychic.com/content.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/800x533xskateistan2.jpg.pagespeed.ic.aB1LSiaPXA.jpg" style="border: none; display: block; height: auto; margin: 15px 10px 15px 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="skateistan2" width="400" /></a></div>
<address style="border: 0px; color: #8c806e; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Image by Jake Simkin</em></address>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
War, Taliban, violations of human rights: unfortunately these are the things most associated with Afghanistan today. And yet<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></em> in a society that has no place for them, 70% of the population of this country is made up of children.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
Enter Australian skater Oliver Percovich, who first visited Afghanistan in 2007 with three skateboards in tow. It didn’t take long before he was surrounded by children eager to learn how to skate and his mission became clear. Since then, Olly has permanently relocated to Kabul and dedicated his life with his team to creating <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://skateistan.org/" style="border: 0px; color: #7dbad2; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Skateistan</a></strong>, a non-profit NGO and full-functioning school where children can not only come to learn in a brand new skatepark facility, but in classrooms where they can choose to explore anything from creative arts to environmental health topics.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
Regrettably, there are evident obstacles to teaching girls in a country such as Afghanistan but this <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">NGO</em> has worked closely with the local community and government to gain their full consent and support. It turns out, Afghans largely consider skateboarding a suitable activity for girls, but to respect the local law, they are taught on separate days to boys at the skatepark, by an all-female staff. Skateistan also arranges transport for the girls to make it easier and safer for them to attend.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://www.lightstalkers.org/galleries/contact_sheet/22144" style="border: 0px; color: #7dbad2; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-29179" height="600" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.messynessychic.com/content.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/400x600xskateistan3.jpg.pagespeed.ic.LbBFVYsFQm.jpg" style="border: none; display: block; height: auto; margin: 15px 10px 15px 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="skateistan3" width="400" /></a></div>
<address style="border: 0px; color: #8c806e; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://www.lightstalkers.org/galleries/contact_sheet/22144" style="border: 0px; color: #7dbad2; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Image by Jake Simkin</a></address>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
This is a place where six days a week, children can be safe while learning in a supervised and secure private facility. Students include street children, refugees and youth with disabilities that benefit from the program’s special curriculum to provide sports therapy through skateboarding and various activities.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://content.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/skateistan4.jpg" rel="slb_group[29176] slb slb_internal" style="border: 0px; color: #7dbad2; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" height="232" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.messynessychic.com/content.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/608x353xskateistan4.jpg.pagespeed.ic.XuKlVgrJTI.jpg" style="border: none; display: block; margin: 15px 10px 15px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="skateistan4" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
While skateboarding activities are kept off the streets of Kabul as much as possible, the reality of setting up a school in the midst of a warzone however is ever present and this past September, four children who were students, volunteers and youth leaders at Skateistan were tragically killed in a suicide attack while working in the street to support their families outside of school.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://content.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Screen-shot-2012-11-27-at-2.08.09-PM.jpg" rel="slb_group[29176] slb slb_internal" style="border: 0px; color: #7dbad2; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-29181" height="400" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.messynessychic.com/content.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/428x574xScreen-shot-2012-11-27-at-2.08.09-PM.jpg.pagespeed.ic.Vdj0TruP3j.jpg" style="border: none; display: block; height: auto; margin: 15px 10px 15px 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Screen shot 2012-11-27 at 2.08.09 PM" width="298" /></a></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
Oliver Percovich’s hope with Skateistan is to break the cycle of violence that the children are surrounded by in their hometown and give them the tools and passions they’ll need to change their future.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
Since Skateistan was created in 2007, the charity has opened new schools in Pakistan and Cambodia and a second school in Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan is set to open its doors imminently.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
In 2009, a feature length documentary on Skateistan was filmed in Kabul, Afghanistan and was named winner of the 2011 Cinema for Peace Berlin award for Most Valuable Documentary. <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Skateistan: Four Wheels and a Board in Kabul</em> is available to download on iTunes or online <a href="skateistan: Four Wheels and a Board in Kabul" style="border: 0px; color: #7dbad2; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
<div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rJWHm0v5MYw" width="560"></iframe>
Source: http://www.messynessychic.com/2012/11/27/in-the-midst-of-a-warzone-there-is-an-afghani-skateboarding-school-for-girls/</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4094519575370736318.post-15228331465621058182013-12-03T19:30:00.000+00:002013-12-03T19:30:20.909+00:00Pakistan women break new ground at kabaddi world cup<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><img alt="image" height="241" src="http://www.brecorder.com/images/2013/11/pak-women-kabaddi.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 1px; float: left; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; height: auto; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; width: 400px;" width="400" /><div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
LAHORE: Sixteen young Pakistani women will make history this weekend as they compete in the kabaddi world cup -- the first time the Muslim country has ever fielded an international women's team in the sport.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
The traditional tag-wrestling sport involves players trying to tag an opponent before making it back to their half of the field.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
Kabaddi is hugely popular in the Punjab provinces of India and Pakistan, where it originates, and is played in countries around the world with South Asian populations.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
It has traditionally been seen as a macho sport but now Pakistan is sending a women's team to the November 30-December 14 World Cup in India.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
For 24-year-old Sayeda Fareeda Khanum, who comes from a conservative, religious family where she fought for years to be allowed to compete in sports, it is a dream come true.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
"I have been sports crazy since childhood and was selected for national events in various sports many times, but I was never allowed by my family to attend a training camp outside college or university," she told AFP.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
"But when I got selected for the kabaddi team, I told my mother that I would play this sport at any cost and left home to join the camp in Lahore."</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
Khanum, the team's best defender, spoke to AFP between sessions in a tough fitness workout at Lahore's Punjab stadium.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
"Getting the national colours was my childhood dream. I am going to India to make a do-or-die battle for my nation and prove that Pakistani girls can do whatever women do in other countries," she said.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
India and Pakistan, neighbours and ferocious sporting rivals, have met in two of the three men's world cup finals held so far, with India prevailing both times.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
The women are determined to succeed where their male counterparts have failed.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
"We decided to participate in this team for the sake of Pakistan, and for the sake of true patriotism. And we have tried our level best, and by the will of God we will succeed," vice-captain Sumera Zahoor, who comes from a martial arts background, told AFP.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
Having decided to build the women's team, the authorities wrote to top sports organisations and educational institutions, collecting a group of girls coming from diverse sporting backgrounds.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
Half already represent various other sports like athletics, weightlifting and racket games, while a few new players with the right attitude and ambitions have also earned a place in the team.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
Training for the women in green, yellow and blue tracksuits begins with prayers and a recitation from the Koran.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
After chants of "Long live Pakistan" and "God is great", they begin physical training before moving on to wrestling techniques.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
It has not been an easy task for the support staff to get the team together and direct their potential.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
"All the girls come from different games, some are from athletics, some are weightlifters," Aisha Qazi, the team's coach, said.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
"These are individual players' games but kabaddi is a team event, so there is a huge difference and it has taken me some time to teach them."</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
Qazi, herself a first-class cricketer and international baseball player, said they were thrilled to be the first women's team to represent Pakistan in international kabbadi.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
Head coach Ghulam Abbas Butt said he was confident the women's team would live up to their promise.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
"I hope the boys' team will win the World Cup this time and the girls would also not disappoint in their first appearance," he said.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
"I have done this training with my heart, and they followed it the same way. These were new girls and they have done whatever I asked them to do. That's why I know that they will play well," he said.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px; font-family: Arial, 'MS Trebuchet', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 20px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;">
The Pakistan women face England, Mexico and Denmark in their pool matches while arch rivals India play the United States, Kenya and New Zealand.</div>
</div>
<div>
Source: http://www.brecorder.com/sports/other-sports/146670.html</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com