Skater, Zahra Lari, makes history

[claphappy]

From the sand dunes of the Rub al Khali desert to the snow-capped peaks of the Dolomites in northern Italy, Emirati teen Zahra Lari made figure skating history this week.

The 17-year-old not only became the first figure skater from the Gulf to compete in an international competition but the first to do so wearing the hijab, an Islamic headscarf.

http://www.france24.com/en/20120414-...princess-hijab

...her dream is to represent the UAE at the Olympics.

She came a step closer to achieving that goal when the Olympic champion, Evan Lysacek, asked to skate with her twice when he was visiting the capital - a moment Zahra described as the most significant and rewarding of her skating career.

http://www.thenational.ae/archived/s...-history-books

This is really neat! Here's hoping she does well in the future!:)

[Olympia]

Fascinating! I wish her the best. It's always wonderful to see someone from a newly competing country join international skating.

It's interesting that before now, the one sport that many "covered women" from really conservative countries such as Iran have competed in at the Olympics has been marksmanship. It seems counter-intuitive, but it's logical when you think about it, because the women can be completely covered up and don't do anything that's strenuously physical in front of male spectators. I'm thrilled to see that a girl who dresses so modestly has figured out a way to take part in skating.

[brightphoton]

If the lack of physically strenuous activity were a major factor for muslims, then ice dancing would have been dominated by covered women long ago ...

Last year there was a big hallabaloo about an American Muslima weightlifting with a full Muslim garb. Eventually they said she could compete as long as her clothing was tight enough to see if her joints locked out or not, which is important in Olympic weightlifting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2dxBfxcUCE

[dorispulaski]

If the lack of physically strenuous activity were a major factor for muslims, then ice dancing would have been dominated by covered women long ago ...

Ice dancing is physically strenuous. A 4 minute routine is one continuous footwork sequence done while picking up an 100 pound weight 3 or 4 times. Maybe one resting spot.

It certainly could be done in a hijab. If Karen Chen can do a triple lutz holding 2 huge fans, anything is possible.

Congratulations to Zahra Lari for following her dream, and opening a door for others!

[Jammers]

But Karen Chen weighs less then the fans.

[Olympia]

If the lack of physically strenuous activity were a major factor for muslims, then ice dancing would have been dominated by covered women long ago ...

Last year there was a big hallabaloo about an American Muslima weightlifting with a full Muslim garb. Eventually they said she could compete as long as her clothing was tight enough to see if her joints locked out or not, which is important in Olympic weightlifting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2dxBfxcUCE

Yes, but Photon, any activity where a woman and a man are in a hold together....

I can't think of another way to say what I mean besides "physically strenuous," but if an athlete has to wear a lot of clothes, she's at too great a disadvantage in terms of speed in track and field and other activities. Riding is probably out because the rider must sit astride--in some cultures, women are not even allowed to ride bicycles. I'm still trying to think of the best phrase.

The weightlifting I hadn't heard about, That's interesting.

[brightphoton]

In my book, if you're doing a foxtrot, you don't get to be called a sport. Their lifts are nothing compared to what are pairs skaters doing. That being said, the dances are entertaining, there is a degree of athleticism required, and the fans are hilarious too. I heartily anticipate the demands for the smelling salts when they see the new hip hop dances.

All figure skaters are fully covered anyway; it only looks like they're wearing less because their pants and shirts are made of illusion fabric. So the only difference for muslims is the scarf on their head, which will help keep them warm and cozy. Most other winter sports, like skiing, have fully-clothed participants.

I am also not completely convinced that even summer sports are particularly bad for covered women. I remember the Beijing and Athens Olympics had a controversy for expensive, full-bodied suits that swimmers could wear that was even better than wearing a speedo, possibly leading to an unfair advantage. Ballet dancers typically have worn tights, male gymnasts wear those white pants, female swimmers wear a sort of pant-suit, etc. Anyway, I think the modesty issue is a red herring. Personally I think muslim men were afraid the women would be better at them at their own sports and decided to make a bunch of silly rules so that women couldn't participate at all.

[MagicFairy]

Its great that there are skaters from countries with no figure skating history, but competing at the olympics would be difficult, since the United Emirates arent even an ISU member, and she would also have problems with the headscarf, because ISU did a proposal for the next congress for not allowing religious symbols in the costumes.

[blue dog]

In my book, if you're doing a foxtrot, you don't get to be called a sport. Their lifts are nothing compared to what are pairs skaters doing. That being said, the dances are entertaining, there is a degree of athleticism required, and the fans are hilarious too. I heartily anticipate the demands for the smelling salts when they see the new hip hop dances.

I must respectfully disagree. Ice dance is like running the steeplechase. Backwards.

Also, the only difference between dance lifts and pairs lifts is where the woman is placed. Dance lifts and pairs lifts require an equal amount of strength from both partners. Also, there are more lifts in dance than in pairs. With funkier hand holds.