Members of a Somali women’s football club are breaking social norms and overcoming many challenges to keep their dream of representing their country at continental and global levels alive.

Eight years after founding Banadir FC for women, team players and staff are still struggling against social stereotypes about women playing sports, security problems that hinder travel between stadiums, as well as the lack of financial resources to support their squad.

Based in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, Banadir Women’s Football Club members are paying for their team’s expenses themselves, as they hope to one day become the foundation for a Somali women’s national football team.

Hani Abdurahman, the club captain, said, “This women’s team was founded in 2016 but stopped playing for a few years due to security concerns. It resumed its football activities a year ago.”

She added, “The Banadir team is not reliant on any other party. We founded it and fund it ourselves, whether for renting fields or buying sportswear.”

Other team players expressed their delight at being part of the groundbreaking initiative, despite the challenges they face.

Banadir FC player Fartun Ahmed, said, “I am very happy to be a player in this team. There are many obstacles that prevent girls in the capital, Mogadishu, from playing football, including security and economic conditions. Despite all these challenges, we aspire to reach football levels that qualify us to represent the national team.”

Their enthusiasm is shared by their coach, Mahd Salad, who said, “Somali society is becoming more open day by day. Currently, the biggest challenge for this women’s team is the lack of resources in terms of training facilities, in addition to the economic conditions of the players regarding transportation for home and away matches.”

“We rely on ourselves. I am the coach for one of the first division teams and I spend part of my salary on this women’s team,” he added.

Somali Women Challenge Social Taboos by Forming Football Team

16 teams competed in the Padel One Classification Championship held in the city of Hail, Saudi Arabia, with the aim of raising the level of the game in the Kingdom.

Hatem al-Nahar, one of the tournament’s organizers, says that the current edition is witnessing a great turnout and is held under the supervision of the Saudi Padel Committee.

He explained, “The game is new to the region and the \[Saudi\] Kingdom in general. It was approved as an official twentieth tournament in 2024, and we succeeded, thank God, in being able to hold this tournament. The turnout is great and the youth are enthusiastic. It is a tournament loved by all.”

The game mixes elements of tennis and squash and is gaining popularity in Saudi, where facilities to practice the sport are generally available.

A Mexican businessman is credited with introducing padel to the world in 1969.

Launched in August 2021, the Saudi Padel Committee kicked off its activities by the end of the same year, preparing teams, organizing local tournaments, and establishing the basis for a national padel team.

The Saudi Padel Committee joined the International Padel Federation (FIP) in late April 2022.

16 Teams and Dozens of Players Participate in Padel One Classification Championship in Saudi

Drums beat and young men dance outside a stadium that appears ready to host the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Ivory Coast, a country seeking to win its third title.

The West African country is ready for Saturday’s kick off, where the hosts will be up against Guinea Bissau in the tournament’s inaugural match in Group A, which also includes Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.

Ivorian fans are full of hope that their second time hosting the competition will bring them a third Afcon title, after the Elephants were crowned champions in 1992 and 2015.

The tournament’s matches will be held across the five cities of Abidjan, Korhogo, Bouake Yamoussoukro and San Pedro.

The Ivory Coast was chosen as host in 2018, after Cameroon was stripped of the right to organise the 2023 edition.

Festivities and Optimism Ahead of Afcon 2024 In the Ivory Coast

Iraqis are expressing their dissatisfaction with the Iraqi Central Bank’s decision banning banks from paying salaries or issuing transfers in US dollars since the beginning of September.

The Central Bank’s decision obliges banks to issue salary and foreign transfer payments in Iraqi dinars, at an exchange rate that is way below its equivalent in the parallel market.

The decision similarly limits ATM withdrawals to Iraqi dinars only, without allowing the exchange of foreign currency. It comes as part of a package of measures adopted by the Iraqi Central Bank to control the price of the Iraqi local currency.

Hikmat al-Daqqaq, Vice-President of the Baghdad Chamber of Commerce, believes that the latest decision reflects the government’s desire to preserve hard currency while stabilising the Iraqi dinar. Nonetheless, others find the central bank’s measure to be unjust.

Ali Assad, an employee at a private company, said, "The employees in Iraq suffer a huge loss as a result of the difference between the official and parallel markets."

Assad’s comments were echoed by another employee, Anwar al-Musawi, who said that authorities need to come up with an exceptional measure that would diminish the losses of both company owners and employees resulting from the notable difference in exchange rates between the official and parallel markets.

Al-Musawi said, "As Iraqis, we are in favour of floating the Iraqi dinar and giving it priority over the dollar, but when the company owner is forced to exchange it in Iraqi dinars and faces a difference of 20,000 in each salary or in each transaction, we believe that an exception or a specific decision must be made."

Iraqi Employees Criticize Decision to Ban Salaries and Transfer Payments in USD

Amidst affectionate and warm welcome, Tunisian swimmer Ahmed Ayoub Hafnaoui returned home on Tuesday after winning three medals in the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Japan.

Hafnaoui clinched the gold medal in the men’s 1,500m freestyle, another gold medal in the men’s 800m freestyle and a silver in the men’s 400m freestyle.

“This is an achievement I myself could not imagine doing,” Hafnaoui said in statements to reporters at the airport.

Tunisian Minister of Youth and Sports Kamal Daqish received the swimming champion at the Tunis-Carthage International Airport amidst great interest by the mass media.

“I congratulate Tunisia and the Tunisian people over this really historic achievement made by Ayoub. This is honoring all the Tunisian youths. This achievement reveals that Tunisian young people are capable of overcoming all challenges,” Daqish told reporters.

Tunisia’s Swimming Sensation Hafnaoui Returns Home with Gold Medals

Fahad Salman was speaking zealously about the ‘wonderful chance’ offered by a horse-riding club he goes to several times a week in the city of Ha’il, northern Saudi Arabia, where he was practicing an enjoyable hobby and a useful sport like many other people of different ages.

“I’ve always loved horses ever since I was a child. This safe place offers good education and training. Now, I am a good rider and own a horse,” he said.

Salman was not the only one who goes regularly to the Ghizwan club for equestrian sports.

The club keeps an open door all days of the week for anyone who wishes to learn about the equestrian sports and of all ages and families. The club devotes days for the training of women.

Horse raising and riding is in high demand in the kingdom. Many families urge their young people to learn about horse riding and equestrian sports.

Horse staples are spread in the region of Ha’il, which helped promote the equestrian sports for all age groups and offer families a fun experience. Visitors may tour inside the club to watch horses and get to learn about the means to take care of them and the secrets of their raising.

According to press reports, the number of horse staples in Ha’il and other villages of the city is more than 50. Some describe them as ‘Saudi Arabia’s horse raising hub.’

“People in general are interested in horses. We have many subscribers. There are many people who come to the club to understand how to handle horses. It is an old heritage here and we are still keeping it,” Abdul-Rahman al-Qahtani, the club owner, said.

In addition to practicing this useful sport for the local residents in the area, Hala al-Zuwaymel, a trainer, said the club also plays a societal role through providing special programs for autistic patients and persons with special needs.

Equestrian Sports Attract Different Age Groups in Saudi Arabia’s Ha’il

Tayeba Fahem, the only Iraqi female boxer in an all-men national team, broke the stereotype about female athletes and is getting prepared to play in Arab and international tournaments along with her compatriots.

Tayeba became famous thanks to her perseverance and determination to attain her objective as she shrugs off criticism. She was selected to represent Iraq’s national team in women’s boxing after she grabbed the champion title locally and at the Arab level.

“I won so many championships, including African and Arab tournaments. I was the first Iraqi woman to get a professional belt. I also won the titles ‘Iraq’s Strongest Woman,’ ‘Physical Fitness Champion’ and others,” she said.

Tayeba said she did not pay much attention to societal criticism throughout her professional sports career.

“I didn’t care about the criticism! I knew in advance that any successful person would not escape criticism, but there are some who stand their own ground and fight and others who escape and quit the thing they love the most. For me, the criticism made me more adamant and motivated me more to keep going ahead,” she emphasized.

Tayeba won the championships at the level of Iraq’s clubs, the Minister Championship, Iraq Women’s Clubs tournament, won 2nd rank in the Classic tournament held in Lebanon, participated in the female physical fitness challenge on the Swedish Exercises and won the title ‘Queen of Fitness and Muscle Endurance Power,’ as well as the title ‘Iraq’s Strongest Woman.’

On her participation in the 15th Arab Games – Algeria 2023 that started in Algeria, Uday Janjoun, an Iraqi boxing and physical fitness trainer, said he was optimistic about Tayeba in this tournament.

“We saw Tayeba in more than a local tournament. She has excellent capabilities to qualify her for international competitions. We prepared her well. She is now ready for the Arab championship, and we hope she brings us a gold medal,” he said.

Tariq Mohamed, the Iraqi boxing team’s coach, said Tayeba is Iraq’s champion last year, adding she won the first rank and was summoned for the national team to participate in the Arab tournament in Algeria.

“She is a boxer with a powerful heart. Boxers must get that strong heart to succeed. We wish to achieve good results in the Arab championship,” he noted.  
Ali Taklif, Chairman of the Iraqi Boxing Federation, said Tayeba is good and brave and enjoys both left and right strong punches.

“She has the motive because she already has the courage. It was clear in her training sessions and participation in the tournaments in Baghdad and Sulaymaniyah, where she won the champion titles,” Taklif added.

Breaking Stereotype, Iraqi Female Boxer Competes Over Arab, Int’l Titles

Despite struggling for much of the game, Egypt celebrated their second win in as many days, making a big step towards the main round. In turn, Saudi Arabia have zero points after two matches, although they fought hard in both. 

After being down three goals against Saudi Arabia's, the Egyptian handball team bounced back and clinched a 42:34 win in the preliminary round of the 24th IHF Men's Junior World Championship.

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Somali Women Challenge Social Taboos by Forming Football Team

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