When Saudi Arabia won against Argentina in the World Cup last month, players celebrated by prostrating on the pitch. In Islam, prostration is performed in prayer to give thanks to God. For football fan Fathiya Saleh, it was the first time she felt represented on a global stage as a Muslim sportswoman.
“We’re finally seeing people like us and communities like ours making big moves in sport for others around the world to see and it’s inspiring,” says Saleh, who is also the co-founder of Sisterhood FC. The south London-based squad is the UK’s first football team created solely for Muslim women, founded with the hopes of increasing participation and diversity in the sport. According to a recent survey by Muslimah Sports Association and Muslim Census, almost one-third of Muslim women in Britain say they don’t partake in sports or other fitness activities regularly, while a further 33 per cent say their past experiences have negatively impacted their participation in sports.
