Nike comes up with performance hijab for Muslim female athletes

Head cover designed with the help of Emirati Olympian Amna Al Haddad

OREGON – Good news for Muslim female athletes, Nike is releasing a performance hijab next year.

And the hijab was developed with the help of prominent Emirati Olympian Amna Al Haddad and other Muslim women athletes like skater Zahra Lari, who has started wearing the sports hijab.

Called “Nike Pro Hijab”, it has a single-layer pull-on design made of lightweight polyester in dark, neutral colors and the fabric’s tiny holes make it breathable while remaining opaque, a requirement for hijab-wearing women, said a statement from the sports shoes and apparel company.

It was developed after Muslim women athletes complained about wearing the traditional hijab when they compete.

Designing the pro hijab took 13 months and the product will be on sale early next year, it was learned.

Meanwhile, Lari said she was happy to see the pro hijab that she helped design.

“I was thrilled and a bit emotional to see Nike prototyping a hijab. I’ve tried so many different hijabs for performance, and so (a) few of them actually work for me. But once I put it on and took it for a spin on the ice, I was blown away by the fit and the light weight,” she said in a statement. GAC/Expat Media

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