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Zainab

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Assalaamu alaikum [Peace be to you]

This is a story I want to share with you. it contains discrimination, friendship, sacrifice and solidarity. it made me feel sad but also moved me to tears of joy when I read it.



A nine-year-old British Muslim girl was told by a French official that she could not participate in a friendly Judo tournament because of her headscarf. All her team mates and the other players who had gone to France for the event walked out in protest. The children who won the medals returned them in disgust. Seventy-two children from four judo clubs in Willesden, north west London, went to participate in a friendly tournament against 20 local clubs in Houilles, north west of Paris on June 9.

“I was very surprised and shocked at the decision as Zainab Ibrahim plays with the headscarf in Britain without any problem,” Leader and coach of British teams Leigh Davies said. He added that this was a friendly tournament and was a first time in seven years of the judo competitions that such an incident had taken place. The Head of the French host, Gilles Limouzin justified his decision to The Muslim News by telephone last Wednesday: “Wearing of the headscarf is against the judo rules in France and internationally because it may strangle the girl. I cannot break any rules.” When he was told that Zainab has been participating in judo events in Britain without any problems, he said he was “surprised” and insisted that there were regulations in France against the wearing of headscarf whilst playing judo, however, he was not able to provide any evidence to support his view. When Limouzin was told that he had bent many other rules during the event like not having a safety mat next to the main mat, he said he was “not aware” of this. He denied the suggestion that he was Islamophobic and that he was against Muslim girls wearing headscarf. “I have Muslim judo players in my team,” he said.

Leigh Davies said that Zainab had worn the hijab in such a way that it would not have strangled her. Davies said that the real reason for the French refusal to allow Zainab to participate was religion. “At one point one of the French officials said that in France there was a campaign to prevent the headscarf being used to propagate religion.”

When Zainab was barred, both she and her coach were in tears, related Davies. “I took Zainab to the head table to find out why they had refused her permission to take part, the only reason I was given was that she couldn’t fight with the headscarf,” he said. Davies then took the microphone and asked the British teams to leave. All left. Once outside he explained to the coaches and children the situation. All the children were supportive of Zainab, ranging from 7 year-olds to 15 year-olds. “Those who hadn’t yet taken part said they would not continue and those who won the medals told us they wanted to return them in support of Zainab,” Davies explained. The British team had at that time won 31 medals, ranging from gold, silver and bronze. “We are not going to go to Houilles again,” said Davies.

Zainab, who is a red belt, was “disappointed” that she was not allowed to participate. “I was upset and angry that I was refused to fight because of my hijab. I worked so hard for it,” she told The Muslim News. She said she “felt better” after children, both from Britain and France, came to her and told her “it wasn’t my fault”. However, Zainab felt sad that her team mates and others from Willesden returned their medals but she felt “happy” when they came and said they did that because “we were all part of one family”. “I feel proud the support I had from everyone,” she said.

Zainab’s mother, Berniece Holtom, who accompanied her to France, was angry at the decision, but was impressed by the support of all. “They came from a broad range of races and religions, but all stood together against this blatant injustice. It was one of the most amazing situations I have ever seen in my life,” she told The Muslim News. Zainab’s coach Christine Elsdale said she was “bewildered” at the French decision as “we had travelled to France in the spirit of the participating in a friendly sport tournament” and agreed with Davies that the decision was not a safety issue but the French’s negative attitude to the headscarf. What “delighted” her was the “wonderful collective decision by the children to return their medals”, adding, “they said we are a family, if one of use is affected, it affects us all”. Elsdale said she now realises how much “we take for granted equal opportunity in the UK, what we were confronted with was blatant discrimination”.

Adam Ahmed, 11, who returned his medal in support of Zainab, had worked hard and trained for a long time for it but he did not mind returning it He told The Muslim News, “I was very angry at what they did to Zainab as it is wrong. I thought if they are going to do something like this, they can have their medal back. Just because she had a headscarf doesn’t mean she couldn’t fight.”

When Limouzin was asked how he felt about all British children returning the medals and others who had not yet played refusing to continue in revulsion, he replied: “I am disappointed that they returned the medals because they were very good at the judo and deserved the medals.” He added: “I’m very sorry at what happened”, but he remained adamant that he would still not allow any Muslim girl with headscarf to participate.

Clubs who participated: Willesden Judo Club, Moberly Judo Club, Enfield Judo Club and Anson Judo Club (Zainab’s club). 97 people, including coaches and parents participated from Britain.


written By Ahmed Versi on Friday 28 June 2002 - 16 Rabi' al-Akhar 1423 from MuslimNews: [link]

Here's a real photo of Zainab: [link] she's cute :la:
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Comments168
Zanu-chan's avatar
Heehee! My name is Zainab! :D
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