'They told me to choose between my hijab and boxing'
Summary
Zeina Nassar, a boxer born in Germany to a Lebanese family, has been a trailblazer in allowing athletes to compete while wearing a hijab. She challenged existing rules that banned hijabs in boxing and successfully campaigned for changes, allowing women to wear hijabs in both amateur and professional boxing. This week, Nassar will make her professional boxing debut in Pakistan wearing a hijab.Key Facts
- Zeina Nassar is a boxer born in Germany, with Lebanese heritage.
- She began boxing as a teenager and wanted to wear a hijab during competitions.
- Initially, national and international boxing rules did not allow athletes to compete wearing hijabs.
- Nassar successfully changed German amateur boxing rules to allow hijabs.
- She later campaigned internationally and, in 2019, helped lift the hijab ban at the global level in amateur boxing.
- Nassar is making her professional debut in Pakistan while wearing a hijab.
- She has become a prominent figure in promoting hijabs in sports and has partnered with Nike to showcase sports hijabs.
- Nassar's efforts have allowed women in amateur boxing to fight with hijabs.
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