To encourage Muslim women to participate in sports, the UK’s Brunel University in London has just created its very own high performance sports hijab, taking a tremendous step for inclusivity and the first for any educational institute in England.
Brunel University’s navy blue sports hijab has been produced in two sizes to fit various head shapes and is emblazoned with the university’s crest. The hijab has breathable holes making it a comfortable and cooling garment for Muslim women whilst participating in sports.
The university made the decision to create the sports hijab following a report by Sports England in 2017 which stated that only 18% of Muslim women were partaking in sporting activities. Ranjeet Rathore, President of the Union of Brunel Students, who led the creation of the university’s very own hijab, said in a statement, “Brunel is one of only four UK universities to offer a free sports program, and we noticed that there was a gap in female sports participation.”
“When we narrowed it down, we found the main gap to be in BAME female sports participation – specifically, we found there to be a barrier to Muslim women taking part in team sport.” The university wanted to introduce the sports hijab with the aim to encourage more Muslim women to take up a place in the sports program.
Following Nike’s Pro Hijab, which was named one of Time’s 25 Best Inventions in 2017, modest-wear brands, including Siya and Raqtive, have been taking note and weighing in on the modest Muslim market by introducing their very own sports hijabs.
