Sarah Gamal becomes the first Arab female basketball referee at Olympics

Hijab-wearing Sarah Gamal will be the first Arab female to referee basketball games at the Olympics. She will be refereeing 3-on-3 basketball which is making its debut at the Tokyo Olympics.

 

Sarah Gamal said, “The veil hasn’t affected my refereeing in any tournament so far and to prove it I’m ready to take on the Tokyo Olympics.” “My thinking is focused on training and proper preparation to perform at this important event,” she added.

Sarah Gamal is working in a male-dominated industry as a civil engineer in Alexandria. She is not afraid of officiating male athletes on hardwood courts and her successful refereeing in men’s games won her the support of Egypt’s refereeing committee.

Gamal fell in love with the game at the age of five. She learned the game from her elder sister. She took both her studies and training seriously and organized her schedule to include both. She started as a player and switched to refereeing at the age of 16 as she had a great passion for a deeper understanding of the rules. She always had her family’s full support.

“Being the first Arab and African woman refereeing 3 on 3 games at the Olympics is a positive. There’s no pressure on me and I am confident that this step will pave the way for other Arab and African women referees,” she said. She is eager to show her skills and experience at the Olympics.

“I want to make it to the men and women’s World Cups and to maintain the trust the international body has put in me so far,” Sarah Gamal said.

In 2017, The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) changed its rules to allow players to wear the hijab under certain conditions. FIBA also adopted the 3-on-3 competition to attract a younger international fan base. The 3-on-3 competition was added to the Tokyo Olympic programme in 2017.

In 3-on-3 basketball, games are played on a half-court with one basket while the traditional 5-on-5 game is an end-to-end full-court play. To win a 3-on-3 game, a team must reach 21 points first or outscore their opponents over two 10-minute halves.