Hindered by Hijab, Muay Thai Boxer Masoumeh Tajik Loses Match

April 19, 2018

Iranian Muay Thai boxer Masoumeh Tajik suffered a heavy defeat in a match at the Turkish World Fight Night Tournament. Her opponent delivered devastating blows to Tajik’s head, face, and body while she was trying to adjust her hijab. Tajik’s head cover continually slipped down her forehead, covering her eyes, which made her a perfect target for her opponent. Tajik’s ringside coach spent more time adjusting her headscarf than managing the fight.

Some media outlets inside the country have lambasted Iran’s Martial Arts Federation for allowing Tajik to compete without an official permit. However, the Muay Thai boxing event in Turkey was an open tournament. Tajik, a member of Iran’s Muay Thai boxing national team, is an accomplished fighter. She was the gold medal winner in the 2017 Eurasian Muay Thai Clubs Cup.

Conservative websites have warned that many people bet heavily on Muay Thai boxing matches, and therefore Muslim women should not take part in such tournaments.

Alireza Amini, the deputy director of Iran’s Martial Arts Federation, said: “We were unaware of her presence in the tournament. Tajik is currently not a member of the Muay Thai boxing national team. The federation will, nevertheless, review the situation and rule at a later date.”

 “We are preparing for the Mexico Muay Thai Championship scheduled to take place in Cancun between may 10 and 19,” he added. “We are not taking part in any other event right now. We are going to investigate Tajik for any violations of the rules. However, the federation will not take any action if she participated in the event on her own.”

The Iranian media routinely report on men’s mixed martial arts competitions, including kickboxing, Muay Thai and cage fighting. Many of these events are held in Iran to commemorate members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) who have lost their lives fighting in Syria and other places.

Iranian men perform well in international martial arts competitions.

Having to wear Islamic attire, however, hinders the performance of female athletes. It restricts their movement, diminishes their skills and prevents them from executing certain moves effectively. It also has a negative impact on their self-confidence and morale.