It is alarming how few female athletes compete – or are allowed to compete – wearing a hijab (headscarf). Ibtihaj Muhammad became the first American Olympic athlete to wear hijab in 2016. FIFA had a ban on hijab until 2014, but have since lifted that ban and now encourage female Muslim athletes.

While FIBA, the international Basketball federation, still implements a ban on hijab. Nike has taken a step forward in capitalizing on the Muslim female pro athletes and community by launching the Nike Pro Hijab.

Amna Al Haddad a female weightlifter from the United Arab Emirates, also a columnist for The Sports Journal recounted how the garment’s weight, the potential for it to shift during action and its lack of breathability disrupted her focus. She also detailed her extreme difficulty finding performance hijabs; Amna had only one competition-worthy covering, so she had to hand wash it every night during competitions.

Here are the top female Muslim athletes around the world competing at the highest level in a hijab.

Hedaya Wahba, Taekwondo

Wahba competed in her second Olympic Games in In Rio 2016, four years after representing Egypt at London 2012 Olympic Games. The taekwondo athlete won a bronze medal at the Rio Games in the 57kg category, and in London 2012, she reached the quarterfinal. Wahba  has been a Taekwondo athlete since she was 6 years old. She has made her way up the ranks from local to national to regional competitions and now a world Olympic champion.

Zahra Lari, Figure Skating

United Arab Emirates’ Zahra Lari took up skating at 12. Along with her family, Lari started and run the country’s first skating club, which now boasts over 200 members. During competition, Lari wears darker, thicker leggings, as opposed to the usual skin-colored ones. Lari came up short to become the first athlete to represent the UAE at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, but she has become one of the flag bearers of female muslims athletes who wear the hijab and an inspiration for young muslim athletes around the globe.

“I think they’re really fighting for girls in the Arab region. It’s great having a big sports brand doing that.” Zahra said to The New York Times on Nike’s Pro Hijab

Also read – Saudi Arabia To Allow Women into Sports Stadiums in 2018

Zahra on criticism of her as a Figure Skater “This is against your culture. It’s not part of your religion. (People always say, especially on social media) ”

“It’s just close-minded people who don’t understand the sport or that there’s nothing wrong with it,” Lari said to The New York Times

Doaa Elghobashy, Beach Volleyball

In a sport in which athletes normally compete in small two-pieces, the 2016 Rio Olympics saw the Egyptian pair of Doaa Elghobashy and Nada Meawad, make up Egypt’s beach volleyball duo, in fully covered long sleeves and pants. Elghobashy also wears a hijab. The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) relaxed their uniform regulations  before the Games in London 2012, allowing the hijab to be worn by muslim athletes. Elghobashy became the first muslim athlete in her sport to wear the hijab.

“I have worn the hijab for 10 years,” she told the Associated Press. “It doesn’t keep me away from the things I love to do, and beach volleyball is one of them.

“I’m proud to be seen raising the Egyptian flag in a carnival with so many nations.”

Ibtihaj Muhammad, Fencing   

Born in New Jersey, USA, Muhammad, was a member of the United States fencing team at the last Olympics, becoming the first American athlete to wear a hijab during competition at the Games. Muhammad went out in the second round of the individual competition (sabre), but won the bronze medal in the team event.

“In this particular political climate in the history of this country, it is groundbreaking to have a Muslim woman on the US team,” Muhammad tells BBC Sport.

Also read – President Sheikh Khalifa Calls To Allow Children Of Female Emirati Citizens To Participate In Official Sport Events

“I am excited to challenge the stereotypes and misconceptions people have about Muslim women. I want to show people that we can not only be on any Olympic team, but on the US Olympic team which is the strongest of the world’s teams.”

“If I can be a source of inspiration to not just Muslim youth, but to other kids who have been told they don’t belong because they were different… if I can encourage women to be active, then that is a positive thing.”

Sara Ahmed, Weightlifting

At Rio 2016, in the 69kg weight class, Sara Ahmed became the first Egyptian woman to win an Olympic medal in the country’s 104-year history at the Games in weightlifting. Similarly to volleyball, the International Weightlifting Federation changed its uniform ruling in 2011, allowing Ahmed to compete in her headscarf. Historically, Egypt has strong weightlifting traditions, with male athletes winning Olympic medals in the 1930s and 40s.

“I hope it will encourage other girls to take up the sport. A new weightlifting generation can be born, a new beginning,” she told Channel News Asia.

Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin, Taekwondo

Zenoorin, 18, became the first Iranian  female athlete to win an Olympic medal at the Rio Olympics 2016. Iran allows its female athletes to compete at the Olympics as long as they wear a hijab and avoid any tight-fitting uniform. Iran also does not allow women in sports stadiums in their home country. In Rio, Zenoorin beat Sweden’s Nikita Glasnovic 5-1 in the third-place playoff to secure a bronze medal.

Also read – State Schools in Saudi Arabia To Allow Girls’ Sports

“Unlike in other sports, in taekwondo it is not a problem to wear a hijab, because we have a helmet. We also have body protectors and arms and legs are covered,” Zenoorin said to Muslim Press