[Printer Friendly Version]   [How to E-mail This Article to A Friend]

SPORTS ZONE 2: Muslim Woman Stops Playing Basketball

Twenty-two year old Andrea Armstrong transferred to University of South Florida (USF) and was awarded a scholarship to play basketball. After playing for the team last year, Armstrong decided to quit on Wednesday. She said she felt pressure against the way she dressed for games. Armstrong converted to Islam, a religion whose followers stick to strict clothing rules.

According to the religion, followers of the Islamic faith must dress modestly. For many Muslim women, including Armstrong, that means wearing a headscarf, called a Hijab, and long pants and shirts with long sleeves.

Armstrong is not the first Muslim woman to participate in athletics. A few Muslim women competed in the Athens Olympics. Track and field sprinter Rakia al-Gassra of Bahrain and Egyptian rower Doaa Moussa are just two of the estimated 50 at the Olympic Games in Greece. Gassra and Moussa even wore their traditional Hijab and uniforms covering their entire bodies while the temperature often soared above 100 degrees Fahrenheit!

However, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) requires all members of a team to wear the same uniform. USF officials said it worked out a deal with Armstrong last week that would allow her to wear a Hijab and a different jersey. But Armstrong said she did not want to cause further distress on the issue and left the team anyway. Her teammates and coach said she left voluntarily, and they will miss her this season.

--Written by Sarah Kurachek

Write your own story telling us what you think about this article!

Read SPORTS ZONE 1: Russian and Swiss Win the U.S. Tennis Open