Women’s sport rewarded: a Muslim association receives the highest British royal distinction

“It’s a victory for all women,” says Yashmin Harun with emotion. Her voice still trembles when she talks about the “King’s Award”, the highest British distinction for volunteering, which her association has just received. In a context where the place of Muslim women is often debated, the Muslimah Sports Association (MSA) provides a concrete and innovative response. From London basketball courts to yoga mats, the association proves that emancipation and respect for religious values ​​are not incompatible.

“We demonstrate that a woman can be Muslim, sporty and fulfilled,” underlines Yashmin. A message that particularly resonates at a time when prejudices persist about the sporting practice of Muslim women. The MSA thus offers a third way, far from clichés and controversies.

The “Creating HERstory” project, now at the London Archives, bears witness to this silent revolution. “Our members become models for the new generation,” observes the founder. A social evolution that the British Crown chose to distinguish. The MSA thus joins the circle of 281 organizations distinguished this year, proving that sport can be a formidable vector of emancipation and intercultural dialogue.