Women's sport in Iraq
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Women's sport in Iraq has a long history, with many sports being played. Football (soccer) is among the most popular sport and hobby in Iraq. Many also participate in, but are not limited to, basketball, volleyball, tennis, taekwondo, and weightlifting. It is often seen as taboo when women involve in sports and other recreations as it is seen as inappropriate by the large conservative culture,[1] yet in the Kurdistan region as well as the more urban cities of Iraq, such as Baghdad or Basra, society has become more accepting and supportive over time.[2][3][4] Women are encouraged to dress and behave modestly, so the involvement of women in sports and the wearing of sports uniforms have been widely seen as taboo. Even with the growing support of women in sports, societal expectations still lead many women to play in secret or avoid sports altogether, which makes it harder for women to get involved in professional sports.[5][6] Iraq was, at one point, a hub for athletics in the Middle East, but during Saddam Hussein's reign, involvement in sports declined.[1] Sports in Iraq have faced many challenges over the past years, and only recently have sports committees and athletes, both men and women alike, begun to rebuild teams and strengthen involvement. Even then, the Ministry of Youth and Sports are often responsible for sponsoring sports teams and athletes, but they often lack the financial means to fully support them.[7] The country's unstable history of dictatorship and war, as well as the growing trend of conservatism, have been recognized as reasons for weak, lacking, and in some cases nonactive and even nonexistent women's sports teams.[7][8][9][10][11]
Sports in Iraq, prior to the Ba'ath regime, which held power from 1968 to 2003, and Saddam Hussein's reign which lasted from 1979, when he took power, to 2003, when he lost power,[12] were active and even home to many strong sports teams in the Middle East. Due to the Ba'ath regime's views, sports activity was not as supported as by past leaders. Under Saddam Hussein's reign, many athletes suffered torture, imprisonment, and murder. This was primarily directed and carried out by Saddam Hussein's oldest son, Uday Hussein. When athletes, teams, and coaches did not perform to Uday Hussein's expectations, they were punished.[13][14] This led many athletes to flee Iraq. A long string of conflicts left Iraq in an unfit shape to focus on sports. Conflicts like the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), the Gulf War (1990-1991), the Bombing of Iraq (1998), and the Iraq War (2003-2011) are a few of the many conflicts that shifted focus away from sports.
Notable athletes
Dana Hussain
Dana Hussain is an Iraqi sprinter and Olympic athlete. She was the only woman to be sent from Iraq to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. She got a 12.36 mark on the 100 meters in the Beijing Games. She won four medals in the 2011 Arab Games. A gold in the 400 meters, as well as a silver in the 100 meters.[15][11] In the 2012 Summer Olympics, held in London, England, she got an 11.81 mark as well as an 11.91 mark on the 100 meters. Her personal best score for 100 meters was a 11.24 mark, which she accomplished in 2021.[16] She also ran a 22.97 for a 200-meter race, making her the first Iraqi to go under 23 seconds.[17]
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