Mary Jane Sanese The Columbus Dispatch
(dispatch) Noor Alexandria Abukaram identifies as being both an athlete and a Muslim – two elements that clashed in a disappointing and humiliating manner at an Ohio high school cross country meet in 2019.
Abukaram, then 16, had just run the best 5K of her life, finishing the course in 22 minutes and 22 seconds. But an official at the meet disqualified Abukaram because she wore a hijab while running.
A hijab is a traditional covering of the hair and neck worn by Muslim women. It symbolizes modesty and religion.
