- Title: Sudan's women boxers pack a punch, beat stereotypes
- Date: 15th May 2016
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SUDANESE FEMALE BOXER, SAHAR MOHAMMED, SAYING: "I have participated in local matches and the African championships in Congo. We are now preparing for any future championships and we will perform well for Sudan. We are constantly practising and we are intensifying our training." VARIOUS OF ABAKAR WRAPPING HANDS VARIOUS OF YUSUF HELPING ABAKAR WEAR BOXING GLOVES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BOXING COACH, MOHAMMED YUSUF, SAYING: "From my capacity as a national team coach the boxing federation asked me to concentrate on female boxing and give that more attention hoping that it can improve in a short time and we can participate in local and foreign competitions for Sudan." YUSUF SHOWING ABAKAR A MOVE VARIOUS OF ABAKAR SPURRING IN THE RING WITH COACH YUSUF MORE OF ABAKAR SPURRING WITH YUSUF FEET IN RING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BOXING COACH, MOHAMMED YUSUF, SAYING: "There is no difference in training men or women. Sometimes there is specific training to improve the female boxers' capacity but they even train together with the men." VARIOUS OF ABAKAR SPURRING WITH MALE BOXER / YUSUF SUPERVISING VARIOUS OF ABAKAR SPURRING WITH MALE BOXER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SUDANESE FEMALE BOXER, ARAFAT ABAKAR, SAYING: "It is an interesting sport and through it you feel very strong. One of the reasons I chose boxing was self-defence. People always talk about the weakness of women and I wanted to show that we have the ability to practice even the toughest sports." VARIOUS OF ABAKAR TRAINING WITH YUSUF (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SUDANESE FEMALE BOXER, ARAFAT ABAKAR, SAYING: "A lot of people say that the sportswoman is a female on the inside but not outside. There is a popular saying that the general appearance is deceiving. The female inside you is not affected by a sport because at the end you are a woman." VARIOUS OF SUDANESE FEMALE BOXER, SAHAR MOHAMMED SPURRING WITH PUNCHING BAG / COACH
- Embargoed: 30th May 2016 11:28
- Keywords: Boxing Women Islam Training Sudan Sport Muslim Society
- Location: KHARTOUM, SUDAN
- City: KHARTOUM, SUDAN
- Country: Sudan
- Topics: Boxing,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0034HX3FX1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Sweat drips from Arafat Abakar's brow as she punches the air in Khartoum's thick evening summer heat. She shares the space - an outdoor arena with other Sudanese boxers but she is the only woman here today.
The 22-year-old training in a t-shirt and shorts alongside men is a rare spectacle.
Sudan is ruled by Islamic law, which requires women to dress modestly. In a country where almost all women wear loose and flowing garments and cover their hair, Abakar's bare head and defined muscles mark her out for criticism and ridicule.
But that is a price she is willing to pay. Abakar is one of four women on the boxing team at the Nile Club where she trains three times a week.
"The community looks at you as off-beat, especially when you select an activity such as boxing. When you meet someone and they realise that you are a boxer, they will propose that you practice something else like tennis or volleyball," she said.
Another girl at the club said she boxes in secret as her family would object to her taking up what they see as a man's sport.
Women's boxing was unheard of in Sudan until four years ago, when Sahar Mohamed took up the sport and represented her country at the All Africa Games last year.
Sahar says she is training hard for her next tournament so that women's boxing can bring pride to Sudan.
"I have participated in local matches and the African championships in Congo. We are now preparing for any future championships and we will perform well for Sudan. We are constantly practicing and we are intensifying our training," she said.
Following Sahar's growth, Sudan's Amateur Boxing Federation has sought to encourage women to join the sport despite social challenges.
Abakar's coach, Mohamed Yusuf has trained both men and women and says there is a lot of potential for both in the sport.
"From my capacity as a national team coach the boxing federation asked me to concentrate on female boxing and give that more attention hoping that it can improve in a short time and we can participate in local and foreign competitions for Sudan."
"There is no difference in training men or women. Sometimes there is specific training to improve the female boxers' capacity but they even train together with the men,'' Yusuf added.
Like many female boxers around the world, Abakar says she is inspired by boxing legend Mohamed Ali's daughter, Laila Ali.
Abakar was a female weight lifting champion and represented her country abroad before taking up boxing last year.
"It is an interesting sport and through it you feel very strong. One of the reasons I chose boxing was self-defence. People always talk about the weakness of women and I wanted to show that we have the ability to practice even the toughest sports," said Abakar.
"A lot of people say that the sportswoman is a female on the inside but not outside. There is a popular saying that the general appearance is deceiving. The female inside you is not affected by a sport because at the end you are a woman," she added.
Coaches and players say lack of funds, not enthusiasm, is the biggest hurdle for boxing in Sudan. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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