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    August 25, 2011

Athletic, Muslim, Fashionable - a Tale of the Sports Hijab

   Tala Hadavi | Montreal
   Olympic hopeful, 17-year-old Zeinab Hammoud Olympic hopeful,
   17-year-old Zeinab Hammoud

   Female Muslim athletes who observe a strict Islamic dress code
   sometimes face the question of whether they will be allowed to
   participate in major competitions -- with their heads and most of their
   bodies covered. Now, one Iranian-Canadian woman is marketing a product
   to change that. It complies with the requirements of many major sports,
   and it's fashionable, safe and comfortable -- while still meeting
   Islamic requirements.

   An Olympic hopeful faces a small obstacle

   Seventeen-year-old Zeinab Hammoud has a brown belt in Taekwondo, and
   dreams of one day making it to the Olympics. But unlike her sister,
   Rana, Zeinab chooses to wear the Islamic headscarf, or hijab.
   This became a problem four years ago. The team's hard work, passion and
   hopes were dashed when the Taekwondo Federation of Quebec expelled them
   from a tournament in 2007. The reason: their hijabs were considered
   unsafe. 'I was really disappointed because I trained really hard for
   that tournament. When I found out we were expelled I lost all my
   motivation to continue,' Hammoud said.
   Civil rights supporters and sports enthusiasts around the world were
   enraged. Elham Seyed Javad was one of them. 'In my opinion every
   individual, no matter their religion, should have the same rights as
   anyone else in society," he stated. "I mean, sports was made to
   re-unite people."
   
   Athletic fashion
   Javad was an industrial design student at the time, so she decided to
   take on the problem as one of her school projects. "At the time, in
   2008, when I decided to take on this project, the international
   federation of Taekwondo didn't allow its athletes to wear anything
   under the helmet. So my professor didn't think there was a point of
   pursuing it. But my point was, the rule is there because nothing has
   been invented that is appropriate," she explained.
   Javad spent countless hours with the Hammoud sisters' taekwondo team
   and with pattern maker Latifa Boukenda, to make the best product
   possible. 'This was a very exciting project for me. I've worked in
   fashion for many years but this was special because it was beyond
   fashion," she said. "It had a more human and social aspect to it.
   helping young women blossom and follow their athletic dreams."
   Ultimately, they hit upon a design that worked, and a fabric that was
   stretchy, breathable, and dried quickly. Called a '[1]ResportOn,' the
   garment was an immediate hit.
   Even Zeinab's sister Rana, who chooses not to wear the hijab, was
   impressed. 'I just tried the Resport hijab and the hair was inside so
   it doesn't come out and it's very comfortable so you can play without
   trying to put your hair inside all the time,' she noted.
   Rules reconsidered, changed
   Javad's invention came at an opportune time. A year later, in response
   to pressure from the taekwondo community, the [2]World Taekwondo
   Federation changed its rules to allow for head-coverings.
   The Montreal Muslim Taekwondo team was able to compete again.
   'I was in the stands and got teary-eyed because since the very
   beginning my goal was to be able to see the girls on the mats again.
   When it happened it was like someone gave me the world," Javad stated.
   Javad thought she was just helping Zeinab and her teammates. But when
   an investor approached her about marketing the product, things changed
   dramatically. In January, her sports hijab became available to athletes
   all over the world. She has been busy ever since. 'My days start at 2am
   when my phone goes off with an email from an athlete from the other
   side of the world. I turn it on and read the email, get happy and go
   back to sleep," she said.
   While there are other sports hijabs on the market, Javad believes hers
   has some advantages. Those include a built-in t-shirt that keeps it
   from pulling loose, and an opening at the back that allows easy access
   for wearers to adjust their hair.

References

   1. http://www.resporton.com/en/produit/
   2. http://www.wtf.org/wtf_eng/main/main_eng.html