Ten times Emirati women athletes chose sport over cooking

Zahra Lari, 23, is a three-time UAE national figure skating champion and the first Emirati figure skater to compete on the international stage. AP

UAE's Alia Saeed celebrates after winning the women's 10,000m final during the Asian Games in 2014. Jason Reed / Reuters

Mahra Al Hanaei, pictured in April, put UAE women's jiu-jitsu firmly on the world map when she won a silver medal in the 49-kilogram weight division at the Asian Games. Victor Besa / The National

Ayesha Al Balooshi, 26, competes in the weightlifting during the 2016 Rio Olympics. Stoyan Nenov / Reuters

Emirati sprinter and gold medalist Hamda Al Hosani has won 15 medals in Special Olympic games and represented the UAE in the Mena games this year. Courtesy Hamda Al Hosani

Athleticism must run in the family: Mariam Al Hosani, who is the sister of sprinter Hamda Al Hosani, has represented the UAE in the Special Olympics, winning gold medals for bowling. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National

Nada Al Bedwawi raised the UAE flag at the opening ceremony of the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro becoming the first Emirati woman swimmer to represent the country at this level. Alexander Nemenov / AFP

Amna Al Haddad, 29, a weightlifting athlete, became the first Emirati woman to compete in the Reebok Crossfit Games Open in 2012. Courtesy Nike

The UAE's National Ice Hockey team. They earned the silver medal at the Challenge Cup of Asia in Malaysia this month. Vidhyaa for The National

Athlete Nuha Luqman made her debut in Muscat in 2017 with the Al Mouj Open Half-­Marathon, crossing the finish line with her hand raised in the UAE’s three-finger salute. Courtesy Nuha Luqman

From perfect-10 gymnast, Nadia Comaneci, to one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Serena Williams, women have a long history of dominating sport.

Often faced with cultural barriers or inequality when compared to their male counterparts, many women athletes find themselves having to work twice as hard for far less pay.

Women athletes are forced to overcome these challenges from a young age, when girls are not as encouraged to take part in sport as boys may be.

The UAE has made great efforts to reduce this imbalance, by hosting the International Conference of Sports for Women last year and introducing mandatory sport in schools. Rugby is part of the physical education curriculum – for boys and girls – as the UAE looks to develop local talent in the sport.

But on Tuesday, a member of the UAE's Federal National Council said girls should forgo rugby classes at school and instead learn to cook.

"Imagine a girl graduates from school playing rugby but doesn’t know how to cook," said Salem Al Shehhi, who represents Ras Al Khaimah. “This sport is considered one of the most dangerous sports and today girls are playing it in high school, whereas one of the most important skills to be taught in school has disappeared: cooking classes.”

FNC speaker Dr Amal Al Qubaisi said playing rugby has “benefits to the human body”.

“There is a sports philosophy for schools, because the health and fitness aspect is not less important than the intellectual side," she said.

“There should be equal opportunities for boys and girls,” said Dr Al Qubaisi, who became the first Arab woman to chair a parliamentary body in 2015.

In light of the fierce debate this has ignited on social media, here are 10 Emirati women who overcame social challenges to represent their country at a professional level and act as role models for generations of girls to come.

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Read more:

Emirati women make great strides in sports participation 

Rugby added to UAE's national school curriculum

Rugby too 'rough' and girls should instead study cooking, says UAE council member

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