Egyptian Woman Set to Be First African Hijab-Wearing Female Referee During Tokyo 2021 Olympics

• Sara Gamal has inspired women in her country as she will also be the first Arab female to adjudicate a basketball match during the Olympics
• The Egyptian national has hit the headlines as the first hijab-wearing female ever to participate in an Olympics as a referee
• The news, however, left netizens with mixed reactions as some celebrated her milestone while others questioned what the hijab had to do with her qualifications as a referee

PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!

Egyptian woman, Sara Gamal, is set to make history as the first hijab-wearing Muslim and African woman to work as a basketball referee during the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.

Sara Gamal makes history

Gamal, a civil engineer in Egypt, will also make history as the first Arab woman to officiate a 3x3 basketball match that will be making its debut in Tokyo.

While being interviewed with The BBC, the referee said she has been getting feedback from many female referees in Egypt who keep thanking her for giving them hope that their dreams are valid.

Read also

They took nothing from me: Nigerian lady shares photo as she narrates how policemen fixed her car on the road

Most of them thought they had no opportunity in huge tournaments other than the ones they referee in their country. She said"

"I tell them you can do better than me. You can achieve all your goals anywhere you want. You have the power to do it.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read the best news on Kenya’s #1 news

Here are some of the comments from the post:

@thenaturalone1 said:

"I am so here for this! And one day, this won't be news, but just the norm, patiently waiting for that day."

@bruniejm commented:

"What a process for women's rights."

@juniorosvaldonascimento said:

"Good luck, girl! All the best!"

@rock.gray asked:

"So did they pick her because she’s qualified or just because she is wearing a hijab?"

@heizel_solis said:

Don’t understand why wearing a hijab would prevent her from referring to a game?

Another woman planning to make history

Read also

Lady who makes bricks to send herself to school finally graduates, before and after photos warm hearts online

Also, Kenyan woman Christine Ongare aiming to become the first African woman to win an Olympic medal in boxing.

Ongare qualified for the Tokyo Olympics and will represent Kenya in the women’s flyweight championships.

Despite her fairly small demeanour, the mother of one is determined to make history and bring home the medal.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that an unusual theory on the material used to make beds for athletes participating in the Tokyo Olympics has emerged.

It was claimed earlier in the week that this year's edition of the Summer Games will see Olympic participants sleep on flimsy cardboard beds, allegedly to discourage intimacy among the competitors.

The beds, it was claimed, are made in such a way they will break at little provocation, and as such, each bed will be occupied by only a solitary individual.

Source: Legit.ng