Kurdish Women Pedal, Dunk, Spike As Iraq's Top Athletes
Zeeshan Mehtab Published November 12, 2018 | 11:18 AM
Arbil, Iraq, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Nov, 2018 ) :When Iraq's female cycling team snatched bronze and silver medals at a landmark pan-Arab race, it was thanks to athletes from the autonomous Kurdish region.
The country's toughest female competitors, its best-equipped facilities and most experienced coaches are not in the capital Baghdad, but in the Kurdish-majority northern region.
And the three medals won by the Iraqi female cyclists in September at the tournament in Algeria were seen as proof of this sporting prowess in a region that has governed itself since 1991.
The team earned a bronze in the relay race, where three of its four cyclists were Kurdish, and also scooped a bronze and a silver in individual events.
The silver-winning athlete, Mazda Rafiq, hails from the Kurdish region's second city, Sulaimaniyah.
"Since I was a little girl, I've wanted to represent Iraq in a cycling race, and today I was able to do that," said the 20-year-old.
Rafiq, who trains in the region's capital, Arbil, credits her victory to "the support of society and our parents".
Decades ago, all of Iraq's 18 provinces had thriving female athletic scenes, with active clubs in different sports.
But the 1980s saw a string of violent conflicts begin, followed by an international embargo that brought development projects to a screeching halt and the rise of militias.
Those factors, combined with growing conservatism in parts of Iraqi society, all chipped away at sports culture for women.
However in the north, relatively insulated from these trends, Kurdish women have enjoyed an athletic awakening -- one that Iraq's clubs and national teams are making use of now.
A female cycling team in the southern conservative city of Diwaniyah regularly poaches two Kurdish athletes from Sulaimaniyah -- more than 500 kilometres (300 miles) to the north -- for national and regional competitions.
"They are better, and the club knows they'll help them get a better score," said Sajed Salim, of Iraq's Cycling Federation.
One reason for the success of Kurdish female athletes may be the relatively lax social norms in the autonomous region, said Iraq volleyball champion and club coach Randy Metti.
"Kurdistan is more open to women's sports than the provinces of the south," he said, where traditions and tribal customs restrict how much women and girls can do outside the home.
Metti coaches the Akad Ainkawa women's volleyball team in Arbil three times per week, all year long.
Player Mirna Najeeb brings her seven-month-old daughter to every training session.
"I was advised not to exercise six months after giving birth but I told the whole world that I would start again," she said.
Najeeb and fellow Akad players are regularly called up to Iraq's national team to compete internationally.
"A player has everything here -- modern training facilities, interested clubs, and great coaches," she told AFP.
The clubs also enjoy widespread public support and are popular meeting places.
"The fact that they have restaurants and recreational spaces encourages families to come support the female athletes," said Khaled Bashir, a member of Iraq's Volleyball Federation.
That popularity often translates into material support for local clubs, allowing them to pursue more training and keep improving.
Elsewhere in Iraq, teams rely on funds from the ministry of youth and sports, which barely cover basic expenses.
"There are talented athletes everywhere, but they do not emerge in the other provinces because the structures are not the same as those in Kurdistan," said Bashir.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Venezuela shuts Ecuador diplomatic missions over raid
France and Germany will slow eurozone down: IMF
UN to launch $2.8 bn global appeal for Gaza, West Bank
COAS, Saudi FM discuss bilateral cooperation in various sectors
Big industry grows by 0.06 % in February 2024
PTI's plan to destroy national economy has failed: Senator Talal Chaudhry
Fire at Copenhagen landmark 'under control'
Hub rally on April 28
Saudi delegation's visit to usher in new era of close cooperation: Prime Ministe ..
Erdogan says Netanyahu to blame for Iran's attack on Israel
Human traffickers gang busted in Mirpurkhas, 2 girls rescued
Man killed in Attock
More Stories From Sports
-
Hub rally on April 28
5 hours ago -
Fully prepared against West Indies: Sidra Amin
6 hours ago -
Bangladesh rope in Pak spin great to coaching staff ahead of T20 WC
8 hours ago -
Expanded, rebranded National Women's One-Day tournament to start tomorrow
12 hours ago -
KDA’s board of directors meeting held in Abbottabad
14 hours ago -
Shaheen likely to miss initial two matches of Pak Vs NZ T20I series
15 hours ago
-
Pakistan starts discussion with IMF about new loan agreement: Finance Minister
17 hours ago -
Ahsan stresses to transform sports, tourism scenarios
1 day ago -
T20Is rankings: Babar Azam nears to surpass Kohli’s record
2 days ago -
Football: Scottish Premiership results
3 days ago -
I Am Maximus gives 'lucky boy' Townsend maiden Grand National win
3 days ago -
NZ team to arrive in Islamabad on Sunday for T20I series
3 days ago