Your article (‘Truly alarming’: girls put off sport in UK by clothing requirements, 7 April) certainly hit home for me, as it would for many other fellow hijab‑observing women who wish to dress modestly.
I thoroughly enjoy sports. When I was a young girl, I used to participate in many sport clubs and watched sports tournaments with great enthusiasm. However, as I got older, I found that the issue of clothing requirements stopped me from being able to freely enjoy what I loved. I choose to dress modestly. I choose to be comfortable in my own identity. I choose to wear a few more items of clothing than the average sportswoman. Does this mean I should be restricted? That I should be forced to lose interest in something that I have grown up loving?
Such measures not only take away opportunities for women, they also take a toll on the mental and physical health of girls. The research by Tess Howard mentioned in your article shows that by the age of 14, only 10% of girls meet the physical health activity standards.
Unnecessary clothing requirements are a significant cause of low female participation in sports and need to be looked into. The sports industry needs to acknowledge it. We deserve to have our choices. We deserve to be comfortable and confident in our modesty, and in sports.
Barira Tahir
Farnham, Surrey
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