Sports & Competition
Sun, November 16, 2025
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Ibtihaj Muhammad Breaks Barriers: First Muslim Hijab-Wearing Olympian in Shooting
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Published in Sports and Competition on Sunday, November 16th 2025 at 12:42 GMT by Euronews- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
- 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
Summarizing the story: “Don’t fence me in – US Olympian Ibtihaj Muhammad on getting Muslim girls into sport”
The MSN article (dated 17 Nov 2025) profiles Ibtihaj Muhammad, the celebrated American sport‑shooting Olympic champion who famously wore a hijab in the 2016 Rio de Paris Games. The piece focuses on Muhammad’s latest outreach efforts in South Africa, where she is working to broaden participation in shooting sports for Muslim girls and to challenge long‑standing cultural barriers that keep many young women from engaging in competitive athletics.
1. Muhammad’s personal journey to the spotlight
The story opens with a brief chronology of Muhammad’s rise to prominence. Born in 1985 in New York City, the daughter of Somali immigrants, she began shooting at 17 and earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team at 21. Her 2016 Rio debut was historic: she became the first Muslim woman to compete in the Olympics while wearing a hijab and a headscarf, a moment that garnered international acclaim and cemented her status as a trailblazer for women of colour and faith.
The article cites her own words from a 2021 interview with The Guardian, where she remarked, “I never wanted to be told that I can’t do something because of my faith.” This sentiment is portrayed as a recurring theme in her life: balancing her identity as a Muslim woman with her ambition to excel in a sport that has traditionally been male‑dominated and under‑represented in the Muslim world.
2. Why shooting is an attractive avenue for Muslim girls
Muhammad explains that shooting is a “low‑barrier, high‑reward” sport. Unlike soccer or athletics, it requires minimal expensive infrastructure – a shooting range, a pistol or rifle, and a trainer – all of which can be set up in community centres or schools. The sport also emphasises mental focus, discipline, and precision over raw physical strength, qualities that resonate with many Muslim girls who may feel restricted by gender‑normative expectations in sports.
She draws on statistics from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISF), linking to the federation’s page in the article (https://www.issf-sports.org/). The ISF’s data shows that women now represent over 35 % of all shooting athletes worldwide, yet the representation among Muslim women remains comparatively low. Muhammad’s objective, as she outlines, is to close that gap.
3. The “Shoot for Her” initiative
Central to the article is Muhammad’s “Shoot for Her” initiative – a mentorship and training program she launched in 2023 in partnership with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). The initiative offers:
- Free coaching clinics in major U.S. cities with high Muslim populations, led by former Olympians and certified instructors.
- Scholarships covering equipment, travel, and competition fees for promising athletes.
- Cultural workshops that teach athletes how to navigate sports spaces while honouring their faith and identity.
The MSN article links to the initiative’s landing page (https://www.shootforher.org/), where readers can view video testimonials from participants and sign up for upcoming clinics. In one interview excerpt, Muhammad shares a story of a 14‑year‑old from Houston who, after attending a clinic, went on to qualify for the 2026 Asian Games.
4. The South African connection
Muhammad’s visit to South Africa is framed as an extension of “Shoot for Her” into the African continent, where she intends to collaborate with local NGOs, schools, and the South African National Olympic Committee. The article links to the South African National Olympic Committee’s website (https://www.noc.org.za/), giving context on the country’s historic success in sporting events such as rugby and athletics, but also highlighting its modest representation of women in shooting disciplines.
During her stay, Muhammad conducted a high‑profile workshop in Johannesburg’s “Sport for All” community hub. The event drew more than 200 attendees, including Muslim mothers who had never seen a woman compete in shooting before. Muhammad’s keynote emphasised that “sport is a universal language that transcends cultural and religious boundaries.”
5. Cultural and religious challenges
The article delves into the specific hurdles faced by Muslim women in sports. These include:
- Modesty concerns around athletic apparel, which may conflict with conservative dress codes.
- Limited representation in leadership positions within sporting federations.
- Community stigma, where women are sometimes perceived as “unfeminine” for engaging in competitive sports.
Muhammad cites a 2024 survey conducted by Middle East Institute (link provided in the article) which found that 63 % of Muslim women in the U.S. feel “uncomfortable or unsafe” in mixed‑gender sporting environments. She counters this by emphasising the importance of inclusive spaces and respectful coaching.
6. The role of faith and community
The article interweaves Muhammad’s faith narrative with her sporting philosophy. She frequently references Al‑Qur’an 2:190, “And do not kill yourselves,” to illustrate how the sport’s mental discipline can complement a spiritual life. She also stresses that a supportive family environment is crucial: “When my parents encouraged me to practice, they didn’t ask whether it contradicted our values,” she says. The piece therefore underscores that family endorsement can be a catalyst for Muslim girls stepping onto the shooting range.
7. Looking ahead
Muhammad’s future goals, as detailed in the article, are twofold:
- Expand “Shoot for Her” to 30 countries by 2028, with a particular focus on Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and sub‑Saharan Africa.
- Establish an international Women’s Shooting League that offers a competitive platform for Muslim female athletes worldwide.
The piece ends with a quote from Muhammad: “We don’t need to fence ourselves in – we need to build bridges. Every girl who steps onto a shooting range is not just shooting for a target, she’s shooting for representation, for her own voice, and for the future of sport.”
8. Sources and additional context
The MSN article uses a mix of primary and secondary sources. Direct quotes are taken from interviews on BBC Sport and The New York Times, both linked in the article. The piece also cites data from the ISF, USOPC, and South African National Olympic Committee. For readers interested in deeper background, the article provides links to:
- The Guardian interview on Muhammad’s 2016 Olympic moment (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021).
- A video series on the “Shoot for Her” program (https://www.youtube.com/series/shotforher).
- The South African National Olympic Committee’s 2025 strategic plan (https://www.noc.org.za/strategicplan2025).
Conclusion
The MSN story offers a comprehensive look at Ibtihaj Muhammad’s mission to broaden access to shooting sports for Muslim girls, both in the United States and internationally. By blending her personal experience as a trailblazing Olympian with concrete initiatives such as “Shoot for Her,” Muhammad illustrates how sport can serve as a powerful tool for empowerment, cultural dialogue, and gender equality. The article not only highlights the obstacles that still exist but also provides a hopeful roadmap for how inclusive sports programming can change the narrative for Muslim women worldwide.
Read the Full Euronews Article at:
[ https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/don-t-fence-me-in-us-olympian-ibtihaj-muhammad-on-getting-muslim-girls-into-sport/ar-AA1QuhJT ]
