Modesty has always been a sensitive topic in the sports world. In 2012, FIFA banned the hijab (and other similar head coverings) claiming it poses as a risk of injury to athletes. Later, in 2014, the international football governing body lifted the ban and authorized the hijab during matches, but only for religious purposes.
Despite these kind of restrictions, more Muslim women are embracing sports. This issue inspired US sportswear giant Nike to design the “Pro Hijab.” The new product aims to help Muslim females who encounter problems in competitions, mainly because of the traditional head covering.
A Nike spokesperson said in a statement, “The Nike Pro Hijab may have been more than a year in the making, but its impetus can be traced much further back, to an ongoing cultural shift that has seen more women than ever embracing sport,” adding “This movement first permeated international consciousness in 2012, when a hijabi runner took the global stage in London.”
The recently developed Nike’s Pro Hijab will help Muslim women compete in sports, while their heads will be covered. The sport head cover was inspired by runner Sarah Attar, who participated in the London Olympics 800-meter race while wearing the traditional hijab on her head. Also, weightlifter Amna Al Haddad, who attended the Rio Olympics last year, helped inspire this product.
Due to typical high temperatures in the Middle East, the new Nike product is made of thin polyester — an elastic light material — whose surface includes tiny holes for a better breathability. In addition to this, the back of the hijab is longer, in order to prevent untucking during competition.
The final product will be available for sale in Nike’s 2018 spring collection and will be found in three colors: black, obsidian, and vast gray.
The product was tested by the campaign’s stars, the Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari and Nike+ Run Club Coach and mountaineer Manal Rostom. “People should know that Emirati athletes are strong” Lari declared, saying that Arab women are told they cannot do certain things: “[…] but I’m going to show them you absolutely can. I am covered, I am Muslim, I am from a desert country, and I’m doing a winter sport.” She is so thrilled of this hijab that she decided to post a photo of herself wearing the Nike product on her Instagram page.
Nike’s announcement was made public shortly after another ad was released for the sportswear company. Made by the agency Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam, the video called “What Will They Say About You?” shows Muslim women taking a step beyond cultural barriers imposed by Arabic societies.
Unfortunately, the ad that focuses on women following their sport dream was not well-received in the conservative Islamic world. The video, which also featured the Pro Hijab, has been widely criticized on social media by internauts who claimed the video shows a distorted reality of Muslim women.
Credits:
Images: Al Arabiya, The Guardian, Indiatimes, CNN Money, Arabia Vogue