100 of the Most Influential Women in Sport >> Athletes

Zeina Nassar

Boxer, Germany

Champion boxer Nassar has been, successfully, fighting prejudices throughout her life. The Germany-born child of Lebanon immigrants has had to battle the dated trope that combat sports are not for women, plus lobby for more than half a decade to get bans removed on wearing a hijab in the ring. This particular quest for the now five-time Berlin champion began in 2013 when she convinced the German Amateur Boxing Association to alter their laws. The 20-year-old’s drive reached its zenith last month when the International Boxing Association made the historic announcement that they’d amended their guidelines to allow female boxers to wear hijabs at international competitions “should they want to due to religious reasons”. Last year, Nassar also became the first Muslim woman to win the German Women’s Elite Championship in the weight category up to 57 kg.

– She studies sociology and educational science in Potsdam.

– Nassar first got into a ring aged 13 and now trains at the Berlin TSC multi-sports club.

– The pugilist is a global ambassador for Nike’s Pro Hijab Campaign.

Did you know…

She told Material Magazine that she got into the sport as a teenager when she saw the “discipline and elegance” exhibited by female boxers during a workout video.

“I don’t just fight for myself, I fight for all women.
 Yes, I wear a hijab. No, nobody’s forcing me to do so. Yes, I am a boxer. No, I am not uneducated. It was my decision from the start, and I’ll keep making my decisions until the very end.” – Zeina Nassar (Source: Material Magazine)