Professional
Sports and Muslim Women Athletes
By Siddique Malik
www.spreadfreedom.com
US
In his article “Professional Sports and
Muslim Women Athletes” (Sept. 30), D, Shahid
Athar while writing about the rising Indian tennis
player Sania Mirza assumes that she is facing
a ‘dilemma’ over the hue and cry that
certain religious quarters are raising over her
choice of sports attire.
What proof D. Athar has that Ms. Mirza considers
this improper interference in her life a ‘dilemma’?
She probably doesn’t give a darn over this
typical nuisance. If she had allowed herself to
be controlled by the Muslim communities’
ever-present unsolicited ‘custodians of
morality’, she wouldn’t have attained
internationally recognized status in her sport
at an awfully young age. The only skill in which
these prophets of doom and gloom excel is their
ability to destroy dreams and ambitions, and the
only way for someone to reach a point of self-actualization
is to ignore their cacophony.
Dr Athar goes on to write:“It is a matter
of shame that we men pay more attention to physical
beauty than the talent and skills of the player
and it is also a shame that some women have to
dress to please men spectators”. Since he
made this judgment, it is obvious that he was
not simply watching Ms. Mirza’s game. What
a ‘dilemma’ it must have been for
him?
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