Wrestling is a great sport, but it seems to grapple itself into hypocrisy when it comes to culture and religion.
Who can forget the December 2018 incident involving New Jersey high school wrestler Andrew Johnson where a referee refused to let him compete until he cut off his dreadlocks, which he humiliatingly agreed to. That incident sparked an immediate backlash with claims of racism spewing out across the country.
The latest incident involves Life University star wrestler, Jamilah McBryde.
McBryde qualified for the 2024 US Olympic Trials, which takes place at Penn State on April 19th and 20th. It’s an honor only a few hundred wrestlers across the country get to experience.
Unfortunately for McBryde, her name will not be included in the Trials’ brackets.
According to the Life Women’s Wrestling program, United World Wrestling (UWW), which is the international governing body of the sport, hasn’t updated its rules to approve her uniform, which covers her body and includes a hijab.
Jamilah McBryde qualified for the 2024 US Olympic Trials, but is unable to compete based on UWW ruling regarding her uniform. pic.twitter.com/r9Iu6M02aE
— Life University Women's Wrestling (@LifeUWWR) April 9, 2024
“..United World Wrestling has not changed its ruling regarding uniforms in competition,” posted Life University. “Nor have they given much feedback on how to test the uniform as they are concerned there is a competitive advantage to athletes in this uniform.”
This isn’t the first time that Muslim women have faced challenges in the sport, particularly at the highest levels.
In 2023, Zainab Ibrahim, a devout Muslim, was barred from competing for a qualifying spot on the world team due to her uniform, which covered her body and included a hijab. Mind you, she competed the entire season for Umpqua Community College of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) with the same uniform and it was never an issue.
But when it came to the national team, all of it sudden it was.
Ibrahim said that USA Wrestling had no issue with her uniform but because the event was connected to UWW, the decision was out of the former’s hands.
UWW requires competitors to wear a singlet, so the uniforms with compression sleeves and leggings that Muslim women wrestlers like McBryde and Ibrahim wear aren’t allowed.
Ibrahim was even willing to wear the required singlet as long as she could also don the compression coverings, but UWW denied her request to do so.
Why has it taken UWW so long to change its rules?
Better yet, why can’t they identify the alleged advantage, as Life University mentioned, that these outfits supposedly give Muslim women?
The decision by UWW puts Muslim women competitors in a bind as they are unfairly forced to decide between their faith and competitive spirit.
It’s a dilemma that’s all too familiar for Jamilah’s younger sisters, Latifah and Zaynah McBryde.
