Facing barriers due to gendered Islamophobia, cultural norms, and lack of representation, Muslim women often struggle to participate in sports. In 2007, a young Muslim woman from Ontario was going to play a football tournament in Canada. Her name was Asmahan Mansour. At her team’s first match, the referee told her she would not be …
How do we reconcile knowledge of the injustices in many sports with the enjoyment of being a spectator? As we enjoy the familiar tradition of a summer of sport — albeit with some restrictions still in place — it’s worth reflecting on how this fits in with the strong push for fairer practices and equal …
In light of the recent Euros, it is important to highlight the barriers and stereotypes women face in football, and have always faced historically. The ‘Men’s Euros’ recently ended, once again making it clear that men’s football is seen as the norm, much like in other sports. The official name of that tournament is UEFA …
A recent ‘wave’ of racist abuse against players highlights a persisting culture of discrimination. In 2011, then-head of FIFA Sepp Blatter controversially claimed that “there is no racism” in football, arguing that football has “moved on” from the relentless and often violent racism of the 1970s and 1980s. However, racist chants and taunts from the …
