Zeina Nassar

Zeina Nassar is a German professional boxer of Lebanese descent. She is the current Berlin Boxer title-holder and in 2018 she won the German Women's Elite Championship in the ‘up to 57 kg’ weight category.[1] Nassar helped to change the current rules for boxing matches in Germany so that women with headscarves can compete.[2][3][4] She became an official Nike Athlete in 2017.[1]

Early life and education

Nassar was born and raised in Berlin, Germany to Lebanese parents.[5] She first became interested in boxing at 13 after coming across a YouTube video of female boxers.[5] At the time she was in a basketball team and wanted something that showed her “own individual strength.” Nassar is a scholarship holder of the German people and also studies sociology and educational science in Potsdam.

Career

In 2013, Nassar and her coach changed the game by having German competition regulations altered so that women are able to train while wearing headscarves.[6] She won her first title in 2014, becoming the Berlin boxing champion. She is the current the title-holder and has held the title five times in a row. In 2018, she became the first Muslim woman ever to win the German Women's Elite Championship in the ‘up to 57 kg’ weight category. Nassar hopes in the future that she will be able to change the competition rules internationally and at the Olympics.[7]

Nassar had a role in the play ‘Stören’ at the Maxim Gorki Theater in Berlin.

References
  1. Bird, Nichole Washington,Amy Sedghi,Casey. "Life Lessons From The Women With True Fighting Spirit". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved 2019-06-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. "'Change the Rules': Zeina Nassar Paves Way for Female Boxers to Wear Hijab". Al Bawaba. Retrieved 2019-09-05.
  3. Verma, Roshni (2019-03-16). "Zeina Nassar is a young boxer who is slaying the hijab both, in and out of the ring". Retrieved 2019-09-05.
  4. "Nike Pro Hijab Ambassador Zeina Nassar fights prejudices by boxing with her headscarf on". My Salaam. Retrieved 2019-09-05.
  5. "BE VICTORIUS WITH ZEINA NASSAR AND NIKE". Material Magazine. 2018-03-12. Retrieved 2019-06-07.
  6. Tardiff, Sara (2019-02-20). "International Boxing Association Rewrites Rules For Hijabi Women To Compete". Harper's BAZAAR Arabia. Retrieved 2019-09-05.
  7. Caselli, Irene (2019-02-12). "Knocked Out By A Headscarf: German Boxer Fights For Her Rights". World Crunch. Retrieved 2019-09-05.
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