GAZA: Trading jabs and punches, young Palestinian girls competed in a female boxing tournament on Friday in the Gaza Strip, where the sport is mostly popular with men.
Friday’s contest featured female boxers as young as seven years old, and was attended by dozens of spectators.
One boxer, Hala Ayoub, said she hoped the contest would show people that boxing is not only a man’s sport.
“My ambition is to become a famous boxer and to raise the flag of Palestine and fight in local and international contests,” said Ayoub, 15.
“It (boxing) taught me how to defend myself, and how to release bad energy,” she said.
The number of female boxers in Gaza has doubled in the past six months since an initial 18-member all-girl team was formed. It now has 45 athletes, according to captain Osama Ayob.
Ali Abdel-Shafi, deputy chairman of the Palestinian Boxing Federation, said some of the girls from Friday’s competition would be selected to join the Palestinians’ boxing team and take part in a competition in Kuwait in February.
“This is the first championship I’ve taken part in...There is tension because of the audience and the noise but I am excited as well,” said Malak Mesleh, 15.
Women make up half of the Gaza Strip’s two million people.
Citing security concerns with Gaza’s ruling group Hamas, Israel and Egypt have long maintained border restrictions.
Palestinian girls compete in a rare Gaza boxing contest
https://arab.news/jpsep
Palestinian girls compete in a rare Gaza boxing contest
- One boxer, Hala Ayoub, said she hoped the contest would show people that boxing is not only a man’s sport
- “My ambition is to become a famous boxer and to raise the flag of Palestine,” said Ayoub
Griezmann not moving to MLS this season, Atletico Madrid sporting director says
- The 34-year-old former France star had been linked to a transfer to Orlando City
- “He is going to continue with us and nothing more,” Alemany said
MADRID: Antoine Griezmann is not making an imminent move to Major League Soccer, according to the sporting director of Atletico Madrid.
The 34-year-old former France star had been linked to a transfer to Orlando City.
But Atletico sporting director Mateu Alemany said Saturday that “he has this season and two more years with us. I don’t see any major news.”
“He is going to continue with us and nothing more,” Alemany said before Griezmann got an assist to help beat Real Sociedad 3-2 in La Liga.
Griezmann, 34, is Atletico’s all-time leading scorer. He helped France win the 2018 World Cup before retiring from international soccer in 2024.
He has lost his starring role with Diego Simeone’s side this year with his coach managing his minutes, but even so he has scored 12 goals this campaign in all competitions.
Atletico will play Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final on April 18. Atletico are also third in the Spanish league and will play Tottenham in the Champions League round of 16 next week.
