{"id":1385,"date":"2011-08-28T12:01:00","date_gmt":"2011-08-28T06:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mohamediqbalp.wordpress.com\/2011\/08\/28\/athletic-muslim-fashionable\/"},"modified":"2011-08-28T12:01:00","modified_gmt":"2011-08-28T06:31:00","slug":"athletic-muslim-fashionable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/venusimportexport.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/2011\/08\/28\/athletic-muslim-fashionable\/","title":{"rendered":"Athletic, Muslim, Fashionable"},"content":{"rendered":"

Athletic, Muslim, Fashionable – a Tale of the Sports Hijab<\/h2>\n
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Tala Hadavi \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t| Montreal<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Olympic hopeful, 17-year-old Zeinab Hammoud <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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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\u2019s fashionable, safe and comfortable — while still meeting Islamic requirements.<\/p>\n

An Olympic hopeful faces a small obstacle<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.  <\/p>\n

This became a problem four years ago. The team\u2019s 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. \u201cI 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,\u201d Hammoud said.<\/p>\n

Civil rights supporters and sports enthusiasts around the world were enraged. Elham Seyed Javad was one of them. \u201cIn 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.”<\/p>\n

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Athletic fashion
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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\u2019t allow its athletes to wear anything under the helmet. So my professor didn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

Javad spent countless hours with the Hammoud sisters\u2019 taekwondo team and with pattern maker Latifa Boukenda, to make the best product possible. \u201cThis was a very exciting project for me. I\u2019ve 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.”<\/p>\n

Ultimately, they hit upon a design that worked, and a fabric that was stretchy, breathable, and dried quickly.  Called a \u201cResportOn<\/a>,\u201d the garment was an immediate hit.<\/p>\n

Even Zeinab\u2019s sister Rana, who chooses not to wear the hijab, was impressed. \u201cI just tried the Resport hijab and the hair was inside so it doesn\u2019t come out and it\u2019s very comfortable so you can play without trying to put your hair inside all the time,\u201d she noted. <\/p>\n

Rules reconsidered, changed<\/strong><\/p>\n

Javad\u2019s invention came at an opportune time.  A year later, in response to pressure from the taekwondo community, the World Taekwondo Federation<\/a> changed its rules to allow for head-coverings. <\/p>\n

The Montreal Muslim Taekwondo team was able to compete again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI 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.<\/p>\n

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. \u201cMy 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Athletic, Muslim, Fashionable – a Tale of the Sports Hijab Tala Hadavi | Montreal 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,…
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