CHANGE-MAKERS
While individuals may encounter difficulties in life simply because of their gender, skin colour, religion or country of origin, the Games, with the diversity of the athletes who take part, champion the right to be different. Participating at the Games may not change the world, but it can certainly help make a difference.
Robina Muqimyar (2008-08-08) by IOCThe Olympic Museum
ROBINA MUQIMYAR (AFG, ATHLETICS) - 1986-…
Wearing the veil and visible: A symbolic moment for Afghan women.
Along with her compatriot, the judoka Friba Rezayee, Robina Muqimyar was one of the first women to represent Afghanistan at the Olympic Games: in 2004 in Athens and in 2008 in Beijing.
She took part in the 100m wearing a T-shirt, tracksuit bottoms and a hijab, the traditional Islamic headscarf.
Muqimyar stood out as the only athlete lining up wearing a headscarf, her very presence an achievement in itself.
Muqimyar had lived under the Taliban regime, which banned girls and women from any sporting activity; her participation at the Olympic Games was a response to obscurantism.
A race unlike any other
Take a look at other inspiring Change-Maker portraits in our webdoc.
change-makers.blog-tom.com
Useful information about The Olympic Museum in Lausanne www.olympic.org/museum
