Iran’s Female Ice Hockey Team Defies the Odds: Azam Sanaei Captain and Assistant Coach
New Age
Islam News Bureau
05
June 2023
• Iran’s Female Ice Hockey Team Defies the Odds: Azam Sanaei Captain and
Assistant Coach
• Banks in Iran Urged To Avoid Serving Women without Hijab
• Indian Women's Kabaddi League Set to Debut in Dubai in June
• Dr Shaikh Muna Afroz; India’s First Female Muslim Gastroenterologists
Surgeon
• With ‘Big Majority’ Of Women Rejecting Erdogan, Turkey Loses the Sheen
of Ataturk’s Secularist State
• Women Agencies at Grand Holy Mosque Ready to Receive Women Pilgrims
• 33 Women to Contest Shura Council Polls
• US Embassy Participates In Gulf’s First Women And Climate Event
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/iran-female-ice-hockey-sanaei/d/129926
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Iran’s Female Ice
Hockey Team Defies the Odds: Azam Sanaei Captain and Assistant Coach
Azam
Sanaei, captain of Iran national women’s ice hockey team, says that the Iranian
girls need more support to shine in the international competitions.
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By John Duerden
4 Jun 2023
“Nobody was
expecting such a great outcome, so everyone was quite shocked and surprised,”
Azam Sanaei told Al Jazeera, in what can only be described as an
understatement.
The 34-year-old is
the captain and assistant coach of Iran women’s ice hockey team that came so
close to becoming champions of Asia and Oceania last month.
The team did not
even exist three years ago, but now looks like it could be a force to be
reckoned with.
In May, Iran
travelled to Bangkok to play in the IIHF Women’s Asia and Oceania Championship
for the first time.
Iran started the
eight-nation tournament with a 17-1 demolition of India, followed by even more
emphatic wins over Kuwait (20-0) and Kyrgyzstan (26-0). They beat the United
Arab Emirates 14-0 in the quarters and Singapore 3-0 in the semis.
Iran’s run was
ended by the host nation in the final. The score was 1-1 for much of the game
before Thailand – roared on by a big and partisan crowd – pulled away in the
closing stages to win 3-1 and take the gold medal.
Still, silver was
still a fine reward for the women from Iran.
“It was our first
official Asian ice hockey championship experience,” Sanaei said. “All our
competitors had much more experience in ice hockey than us, so even getting to
the tournament was a huge step. It was the sweetest feeling and proudest moment
to get to the final and take second place.”
Sanaei’s teammate
Fatemeh Esmaeili, the competition’s leading scorer with 17 goals, told Iranian
television that the home crowd and Thailand’s experience had made the
difference.
“We were really
shocked at the beginning of the final match because we had never played in such
an atmosphere.”
‘An incredible
achievement’
For Sanaei, the
journey to playing in the final began when she started in-line skating as a
young girl, a popular activity in Iran. At the age of 14, she started playing
in-line hockey, a sport not so common in her homeland.
“Hockey and ice
hockey are not popular in Iran at all, they are [among] many sports that not a
lot of people know about.” She felt comfortable with a stick in her hand and
was also interested in ice hockey, but until recently there was no
international standard ice rink in Tehran.
That changed in
2019 with the opening of the Iran Mall in the capital and the beginnings of a
team that transitioned from in-line hockey to the colder kind. “From then on,
our ice hockey practices started,” she said.
The team, she said,
practised day and night in a bid to close the gap with more established ice
hockey nations.
The onset of the
COVID pandemic meant the women had to wait for their first opportunity to play
other countries. In January, they finally played their first international
games in Russia where they reached the final of a five-team Islamic Countries
tournament.
Then came the trip
to Thailand, which the women had to finance themselves.
“Around six months
ago our federation became part of the Skiing federation which had no budget for
ice skating so we had to pay for everything including tickets and visa fees
ourselves,” said Sanaei.
Given all the
obstacles, finishing second in a major international tournament turned heads
inside and outside Iran.
“It is an
incredible achievement for the Iranian team to perform so impressively, indeed
one might even say that such success is unprecedented,” Simon Chadwick,
professor of sport and geopolitical economy at SKEMA Business School in France,
told Al Jazeera.
The team also
reached another milestone during the tournament when their matches were
screened back home – the first time Iranian women’s sports were broadcast live
on Iranian national television.
In a country where
women are not allowed into stadiums to watch men’s football, this was seen as
significant.
“It was such a huge
step to have our games shown live on television,” said Sanaei. “It really means
a lot. We hope that this continues and will have a positive effect on this
sport.”
Chadwick says more
state support is required for the sport to grow.
“This must be seen
as just the start and not the end of the team’s journey. Indeed it demands that
sports officials in Iran must take women’s ice hockey, and for that matter
women’s sport, much more seriously,” he said.
“There is an
opportunity for the Iranian government to utilise ice hockey success as the
prompt for promoting female sport. It should be encouraging engagement amongst
relevant groups, and must not see it as a sinister threat to Iran’s male
hegemony.”
The signs are
promising as the players were reimbursed – and given bonuses – for their
expenses in playing in Thailand by the Ministry of Sport. They received
messages of congratulations from sports minister Hamid Sajjadi as well as
spokespeople for the Iranian government and the foreign ministry.
It all means that
Sanaei is excited about what comes next.
“We are so looking
forward to the future as we believe that next time we can make it to the top.
With all the training that we will have, we can get there even in one year.
Whatever happens, we won’t lose hope as we have faith that we will get to the
best place.”
And there is a
bigger prize, helping to inspire other young girls in Iran to pick up hockey
sticks or take up any sport.
“Our achievement
can help all of Iran’s women to know that there is nothing that can stop them
and, even with all the barriers in front of them, if they try, they will make
it to wherever they want.”
Source: aljazeera.com
https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2023/6/4/iran-womens-ice-hockey-team-azam-sanaei
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Banks in Iran Urged
To Avoid Serving Women without Hijab
An
Iranian woman without hijab at a bank
------
05-06-23
Banks in Iran's
northern Golestan province have been urged by local officials not to provide
services to women without the mandatory hijab.
Iran International
has obtained a letter signed by the secretary of Golestan Province's Bank
Coordination Commission addressing the managers of various banks to observe the
regulation.
“No excuse is
accepted by the operators in giving services (including transfer of money,
deposit, and withdrawal by customers, etc.) after this correspondence, and in
case of failure, they will be referred to the respected authorities,” read the
letter.
Based on the
instruction, inspection teams across the province will monitor the
implementation of the ruling.
The new
restrictions on banks also include dealing with "improper hijab of the
employees", in addition to surveilling their family members.
"The
activities of the children of employees in cyber space should be addressed and
their parents must be given the necessary warnings,” added the letter.
Administrators of
the banks should also make arrangements to separate women's workplace from
men's and to prohibit the use of female secretaries.
Despite the
nationwide uprising against the Islamic Republic after the killing of Mahsa
Amini, the Islamic Republic has mounted pressure on women and girls to impose
the mandatory hijab in recent months.
However, many
Iranian women and girls challenge these efforts by appearing in public places
without the compulsory dress code.
The Islamic
Republic, founded in 1979, is the only Muslim country other than Taliban ruled
Afghanistan with such a strict interpretation of hijab and nationwide coercive
measures for its observance, while Islam is the official religion in 26
countries in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and the Middle East.
Source: iranintl.com
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202306040500
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Indian Women's
Kabaddi League Set to Debut in Dubai in June
JUNE 03, 2023
APS Sports Event
Management is proud to introduce the highly anticipated Women’s Kabaddi League
(WKL), a groundbreaking initiative that aims to revolutionize the sport of
Kabaddi and inspire players and fans worldwide. With its remarkable innovations
and exceptional talent, the league is set to commence on June 16th in Dubai,
generating excitement within the global sports community. The tournament,
featuring 120 women Kabaddi players, will be broadcast live on DD Sports and
Euro Sports, reaching a wide viewership.
Led by women
Kabaddi players, coaches, and enthusiasts, the Women’s Kabaddi League
represents a major milestone for women’s sports, highlighting the exceptional
talent and skill of female Kabaddi athletes across the country. Originating in
Punjab and Tamil Nadu in India, kabaddi has expanded worldwide, gaining
popularity in countries such as Iraq, Pakistan, Iran, and many more.
The management team
of WKL comprises prominent individuals from the sports fraternity, including
Pradeep Kumar Nehra, who serves as the Director
& CEO. Nehra expressed his enthusiasm for hosting the league in
Dubai, a vibrant city that provides an opportunity to elevate women’s kabaddi
to an international level. With an eager fan base, Nehra anticipates a large
and diverse audience at the stadium for the league’s matches. He emphasized
that promoting women’s empowerment through the Women’s Premier League is one of
the league’s primary objectives, aiming to foster women’s sports and kabaddi
players, empowering them to showcase their skills on a grand stage.
GarimaChoudhary,
serving as the MD of WKL, alongside Surendra Kumar Dhaka and Jaiprakash Singh
as Directors, contributes to the league’s strategic management. The team officials,
including Mr R.D. Koushik and Mr Mahavir Singh as Technical Officials,
MrHoshiar Singh as the Chief Coach, Mr Mohan Singh Bhamu as the Chief Referee,
MrBhupendra Singh, Mr Jai Veer Singh, MrJagadish Prasad Garhwal, Amit Jakhar,
RavitaFauzdar as Coaches, Seema Taxak as a Professor of Physical Education
& Coach, and Dr Neeti Mathur and Dr SonaliKushwaha as Physios, are all
dedicated and driven individuals in their respective roles.
The Women’s Kabaddi
League has garnered support from renowned names in the world of kabaddi,
including Pradeep Narwal, Sandeep Narwal, Maninder Singh, and Surendra Nada,
all of whom are international kabaddi players and gold medalists. Their
endorsement adds prestige and credibility to the Women’s Kabaddi League,
further elevating its stature.
One of the
remarkable aspects of the Women’s Kabaddi League is its exclusive focus on
players from rural areas of India. By providing a platform for talented
individuals who may have been overlooked or lacked opportunities in the past, the
league aims to empower and showcase the immense potential present in these
regions. This initiative demonstrates the commitment to nurturing and promoting
sporting talent from all corners of India, bringing these players to the
forefront of the global kabaddi stage. The league presents an extraordinary
opportunity for these rural athletes to shine and inspire countless others who
share their dreams of sporting success.
The recent auction
witnessed intense bidding wars for the top players, with the highest-paid
player securing an impressive deal worth 33 lacks. This significant investment
reflects the growing recognition of women’s kabaddi as a powerful and engaging
sporting spectacle.
Featuring eight
formidable teams, the Women’s Kabaddi League boast an impressive roster of
participants. The competing teams include the Rajasthan Raiders, Delhi
Dynamites, Gujarat Angels, Great Marathas, Haryana Hustlers, Punjab Panthers,
Uma Kolkata, and Bengaluru Hawks. Each team represents a unique blend of
talent, strategy, and determination, embodying the spirit of the sport and the
empowerment of women in sports.
Key players such as
Harwinder Kaur (Senior National Kabaddi Player, Gold Medalist) and Moti Chandan
(National Kabaddi Player - Asian Games) will showcase their skills and
contribute to the league’s success.
Scheduled to run
from June 16th to June 27th, the Women’s Kabaddi League promises to captivate
audiences with its fast-paced action, intense rivalries, and thrilling displays
of skill. The league’s format will feature a round-robin competition followed
by playoffs, ensuring a riveting battle for the championship title.
The prestigious
Shabab Al Ahli Sports Club in Dubai has been selected as the host venue for the
Women’s Kabaddi League. Known for its world-class sporting facilities, the
venue’s state-of-the-art infrastructure and spacious seating capacity provide
the perfect backdrop for an electrifying kabaddi experience. With the
popularity of kabaddi soaring in recent years, this groundbreaking league is set
to captivate audiences with its fast-paced action and competitive spirit. The
live coverage will enable fans to witness the incredible skills and strategies
employed by these talented athletes, further fueling the growth and popularity
of women’s kabaddi.
The Women’s Kabaddi
League is set to redefine the landscape of women’s sports, amplifying the
visibility and recognition of kabaddi as a premier sporting spectacle. The
league’s debut promises to be a milestone moment, highlighting the spirit of
athleticism, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
Source: news18.com
https://www.news18.com/sports/womens-kabaddi-league-set-to-debut-in-dubai-in-june-7994365.html
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Dr Shaikh
MunaAfroz; India’s first female Muslim Gastroenterologists surgeon
Jun 4, 2023
Success comes to
those who believe in hard work and this sentence fits the case of Dr Shaikh
MunaAfroz, who is all set to join the All India Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS) and probably become the first Muslim female Gastroenterologist (GI)
surgeon in India.
In a message to the
youth, Dr Muna says, “Perseverance and determination are the keys to success. I
have experienced that my consistent efforts have enabled me to surmount every
obstacle on my path to success.”
Intending to become
an academic surgeon, she struck an optimum balance between patient care,
teaching, and research. She has authored more than five indexed research
publications.
Dr Muna has
presented her research papers at numerous conferences and won many accolades.
Her inspiration is her grandfather, who is a General Surgeon and has been
serving the community since 1967.
Dr Afroz hails from
Maharashtra’s Aurangabad and bagged the All India Rank (AIR) third in MCh
GI-HPB Surgery in the INI-SS 2023 and she also secured an All India Rank (AIR)
– 10 for the Minimal Invasive Surgery Fellowship in 2021.
Prior to it, she
aced CET-UG by securing the 93rd rank and completed her MBBS in 2017 from GMC
Aurangabad.
In 2022, she
acquired the Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) in Edinburgh,
UK. Having cleared the licensing examination from Dubai Health Authority (UAE)
in 2022, Dr Muna is currently licensed to practice medicine in India, the
United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
Source: thenewsmill.com
https://thenewsmill.com/2023/06/meet-dr-shaikh-muna-afroz-indias-first-female-muslim-gastroenterologists-surgeon/
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With ‘Big Majority’
Of Women Rejecting Erdogan, Turkey Loses The Sheen Of Ataturk’s Secularist
State
June 4, 2023
Religious
conservatives and Turkish jingoists have installed Erdogan in the seat of power
for the third time though only by a small margin.
Some observers say
that authoritarianism does sometimes flourish under democratic nomenclature.
Many Eastern democracies have ended up in either martial or authoritarian rule.
Erdogan’s handling
of democracy in Turkey is no exception.
In a commentary on
the success of Erdogan in Turkey’s general election, Al Jazeerah wrote that for
the last two years, Erdogan had been working hard on making Turkey’s relations
with the Arab countries, especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE, smooth and
cordial. History does not endorse the view.
It has to be
remembered that Erdogan had taken the lead in opposing Saudi Arabia as the
epicenter of the Islamic world.
Nearly three years
back, non-Semitic Islamic countries, namely Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, and
Malaysia, had called a meeting in Kuala Lumpur in which they wanted to announce
that the Muslim ummah was not bound to consider Saudi Arabia as the protector
of two holy shrines (haramayn).
Owing to a strict,
timely warning issued by Riyadh to Pakistan, the proposed meeting ended up in a
fiasco.
Erdogan had been
leading it. This repudiates the claim of Al Jazeerah that Erdogan had been
trying to straighten relations with the Arabs.
It will also be
remembered that Erdogan had come very close to Qatar when differences between
Qatar and Saudi Arabia deepened, and after former President Trump received a cold
shoulder during his visit to Riyadh, he chose Qatar to be the alternate
destination for American policy in the Middle East and the Gulf.
In 2021, Erdogan
unilaterally pulled his country out of the Istanbul Convention, an
international treaty to fight gender-based discrimination and violence.
A hundred years
ago, in 1923, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk led the creation of the modern secular
state of Turkey, marking the conclusion of the Turkish War of Independence.
Today, a hundred
years to the date, Turkey has chosen to stand at an inflection point in its
society, forgetting how the visionary Mustafa Kemal had brought her in line
with the enlightened and secular states of the West.
The dilemma for the
enlightened classes of Turkish society is whether to walk along the secular
path or adopt “Neo-Ottomanism.” That is the cliché by which Erdogan’s AKP
party’s ideology is defined.
The Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe considers that Erdogan won a fee but
unfair election. Political rivals have not been treated fairly; in some cases,
they have been imprisoned.
Moreover, the vast
Turkish media is mostly controlled by Erdogan and his party. EkremImamoglu, the
mayor of Istanbul, was recently sentenced to more than two years in prison and
banned from holding public office.
The fake charge
brought against him was that he had insulted members of the supreme election
council.
Erdogan’s
authoritative policy prevented the opposition from choosing its most promising
candidate, Mehmet Karli, adviser to Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who was Erdogan’s
contender. He had described Erdogan’s success as a “pyrrhic victory” with the
accusation that he made inflaming tensions before the vote.
During the twenty
years of Erdogan’s rule, Turkey has gradually moved towards radicalism.
In 2020, the famous
Hagia Sophia museum and library was converted into a mosque despite resentment
from various secular-minded people and the Christian leadership. It dealt a
serious blow to the secularism that had been studiously built by Kemal Ataturk.
Hagia Sophia was a
symbol of secularism in contemporary Turkey. SonerCagaptay, a Turkish-American
political scientist and expert on Turkish politics and nationalism, writes in
his book “The New Sultan: Erdogan and the Crisis of Modern Turkey write that
“the evil ad unsuccessful 2016 coup has given Erdogan the green light to
fulfill his repeated pledge to establish order and stability under a
“strongman.”
Cagaptay describes
how Erdogan, the right-wing populist president of Turkey, has tightened his
grip on internal politics while utilizing military and diplomatic measures to
establish Turkey as a regional power since 2002.”
He provides
Erdogan’s ruthless and persistent crackdown, which resulted in the detention of
numerous journalists, the formal expulsion of academics, the dismissal of
university deans, and the detention of many of the highest-ranking military
personnel.
Much criticism has
been leveled against the Erdogan government for a tardy response to the
devastating earthquake of February last. It is said that national crises and
disasters can sometimes be used as an excuse to enact contentious and debatable
policies while citizens are excessively distracted.
The question is,
how far do the Arabs trust Erdogan’s Pan-Islamism? It is doubtful.
Congratulating
Erdogan on his electoral success, President Biden said that he was looking
forward to working with him as “NATO allies” on “bilateral issues and shared
global challenges.” It is the same NATO that destroyed Iraq, and it is the same
NATO that met with a disgraceful ouster from Afghanistan.
No Islamic state
has shown cordiality towards NATO. And, of course, the US does not consider
Turkey worth anything more than an ally in NATO to be on the side of the US in
meeting the challenges. This does not add to the claim of Erdogan that he is
for “Neo-Ottomanism.”
Concluding his
commentary on the recent elections in Turkey, Prof. Cagaptay remarks, “As the
forerunner of nativist populist politics in the twenty-first century, one who
is skilled at polarising the electorate to strengthen his base and using
coercive techniques when polarization is insufficient to win elections. Erdogan
will maintain his hold on power at the expense of Turkey’s people,
institutions, and allies. With more than 27 million votes, Erdogan undoubtedly
won Turkey’s presidential runoff election. However, not to forget that more
than 25 million people voted against him.”
A majority of those
who voted against Erdogan were the women of Turkey who wanted to overthrow
Erdogan through the ballot.
This shows that
Turkey is currently a profoundly divided nation. The two factions in today’s
Turkish society have different goals for the nation.
Source: eurasiantimes.com
https://eurasiantimes.com/with-big-majority-of-women-rejecting-erdogan-turkey-loses-the-sheen-of-ataturks-secularist-state/
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Women Agencies at
Grand Holy Mosque Ready to Receive Women Pilgrims
04 Jun, 2023
The General
Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Holy Mosque and the Prophet's Holy
Mosque said that the women's agencies at the Grand Mosque are ready to receive
female pilgrims for this year's Hajj, conform with its operational plan.
Assistant President
for Women's Development Affairs at the Grand Holy Mosque Dr. Al-Anoud Al-Aboud
said that the women's agencies at the Grand Holy Mosque are prepared to deliver
the best services, both administrative and practical, to all women pilgrims.
She added that
women pilgrims at the Grand Mosque are served by women qualified to manage
crowds, guide and offer counselling and several languages, as well as carry out
initiatives aimed at providing the best services to women pilgrims.
Al-Aboud praised
the wise leadership's support to visitors to the Two Holy Mosques to ensure the
pilgrims enjoy utmost comfort.
Source: alriyadhdaily.com
http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/6221c88a01f34505b465a5e4251b9324
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33 women to contest
Shura Council polls
05/June/2023
The Supreme
Committee of the Shura Council’s 10th Term Elections on Sunday held its second
meeting under the auspices of Sheikh Al Mokhtar Abdullah Al Harthy, Deputy
Chairman of the Supreme Court, Chairman of the Committee.
The meeting
endorsed the minutes of the previous meeting and procedures governing the
announcement of preliminary lists of candidates for the Shura Council membership
through the 10th Term, among other issues of relevance.
Earlier, the
Ministry of Interior unveiled the initial lists comprising 883 candidates,
among them 33 were women.
Source: timesofoman.com
https://timesofoman.com/article/131754-33-women-to-contest-shura-council-polls-1
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US Embassy
participates in Gulf’s first Women and Climate event
05 Jun 2023
Doha, Qatar: The US
Embassy in Qatar joined women worldwide at the CCUS Forum, uniting at the
Gulf’s first Women and Climate event. The global movement aims to harness the
collective power of women to drive positive change and build a resilient future
for all.
The event was made
possible through the generous support of Women and Climate (A New York-based
Not for profit), the US Embassy Qatar and Birba (An Omani event company
supporting industries of the future).
Climate change is a
threat that requires immediate action. Women, particularly those in
marginalised communities, are disproportionately affected by its impacts.
However, they also possess unique knowledge, skills, and perspectives that can
contribute to innovative solutions. Recognising this, Women and Climate seeks
to amplify women’s voices and leadership in tackling climate change.
“The United States
government realises that women are on the frontlines of the climate crisis
worldwide, and women suffer disproportionately from its impacts. These
challenges are not insurmountable, but we need the innovation, creativity, and
power that can only come from diverse teams to beat them. Women’s perspectives
and efforts are essential in this fight. We are proud to work with the women
and men of the Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar, Earthna, Qatar Environment
and Energy Research Institute, and other organisations in Qatar to tackle these
challenges together,” US Deputy Chief of Mission Natalie Baker said.
Doha’s Women and
Climate event united women from diverse backgrounds, including technology and
policy experts, engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders
from around the globe.
“Women and Climate
is committed to elevating women’s voices in local, regional, and international
climate discussions. By providing platforms for sharing experiences, knowledge,
and ideas, the movement seeks to ensure that women’s perspectives are included
in decision-making processes,” said Michelle Li, Founder of Clever Carbon.
By nurturing a
pipeline of women leaders, Women and Climate seeks to foster inclusive and
sustainable development and invites women to join hands in this global movement
to create a sustainable future that values the contributions of women and
promotes environmental stewardship for generations to come.
Source: thepeninsulaqatar.com
https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/05/06/2023/us-embassy-participates-in-gulfs-first-women-and-climate-event
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/iran-female-ice-hockey-sanaei/d/129926