(AP) Noor Abukaram’s elation at completing one of her first varsity cross-country races quickly turned to disappointment when she failed to find her name among those of her high school teammates on the results list.
To Abukaram’s shock, she learned she’d been disqualified for something she’d done all season as a Muslim athlete: wear a hijab.
“My worst nightmare just came true,” Abukaram said this month as she recalled the October 2019 race in which her team from Sylvania Northview in suburban Toledo qualified for the Ohio regional championships.
At the time, Ohio High School Athletic Association rules banned most head coverings and caps unless competitors received religious exemption waivers in advance. Abukaram’s coach acknowledged making a mistake by not obtaining a waiver but said he didn’t think it was needed because it hadn’t been an issue at prior races.
