Hajar Abulfazl (born 1993) is a medical doctor from Afghanistan, former captain of the Afghanistan national women's football team and former delegate to the United Nations Youth Assembly.
Hajar Abulfazl | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 11 November 1993 |
| Occupation | Medical doctor |
| Known for | Captaining Afghanistan national women's football team |
Life
editAbulfazl was born in Kabul and took up football at the age of 12.[1] She joined the women's football team at her school.[2] She rose to become captain of the Afghanistan national women's team and played for it for nearly ten years, from May 2009 to January 2017.[3][4][5] She played at the South Asian Football Federation Championships in 2010 and 2012.[2] She played in midfield and was head of the women's committee of the Afghanistan Football Federation (2012 to 2014).[3]
In 2016, Abulfazl was an Afghan delegate to the United Nations Winter Youth Assembly.[6] In July 2017 she was awarded the Courageous Use of Sport Award for individual bravery in the face of adversity.[5] She has coached her country's Under-17 girls' football team.[6]
Abulfazl had the support of her parents when she decided to become an athlete but other members of her family disapproved.[1] She wore the hijab during her football matches to show Afghan girls and their parents that sporting achievement was not incompatible with respect for religion and culture.[7] She has used football to empower girls in Afghanistan.
Abulfazl studied at Khatam-Al-Nabieen University, where she earned her medical degree in 2017.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b "My Journey, My Dream: Hajar Abulfazil". www.girlpowerorg.com. Retrieved 1 June 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b Kumar, Ruchi. "This Is What An Afghan Female Athlete Looks Like". Bustle. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ a b "Hajar Abulfazl". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ Macur, Juliet (10 October 2017). "Women Are Playing Today, and Leading Tomorrow". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ a b "Beyond Sport". beyondsport.org. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ a b c "Dr. Hajar Abulfazl | sportanddev.org". www.sportanddev.org. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ Alvarez, Anya (15 March 2017). "Hijab in Sports: How Muslim Women Athletes Are Fighting for Acceptance". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 June 2020.