Sports
Iran girls kick down social barriers with karate
As the referee’s whistle signalled the start of the match, two five-year-old Iranian girls faced off, delivering a closely watched karate bout to a captivated audience — a sign of the changing attitude toward martial arts in the Islamic Republic in recent years.
The two young opponents, clad in crisp white karategi with coloured belts and protective headgear, circled each other on the tatami, the floor covering used for practising Japanese martial arts.
Their movements were sharp and deliberate, each kick and block executed with precision and control to the cheers of an all-female audience.
At the final whistle, three minutes later, the two opponents shook hands and embraced.
The match was part of an annual regional tournament that saw 230 participants of all ages gathered in Tehran, lining up in formation before the competition began.
That AFP was accorded rare access to film and photograph a competition for women and girls was itself a sign of greater official openness.
“This sport is anything but violent” because it “promotes discipline”, said Samaneh Parsa, a 44-year-old mother who has been practising karate for five years with her daughter Helma and son Ilya.
“I have observed its positive influence on children’s behaviour,” she said at a club in southern Tehran, where AFP was granted a rare access to the prelude to the match.
For her, karate is a way to “release emotions” and “bring serenity during stressful times”, even though it was long frowned upon for women to practise the sport in Iran.
All martial arts were temporarily banned for women after the 1979 Islamic Revolution but were later reinstated under stricter dress code regulations.
‘Strong mindset’
As more women turn to karate, the sport has become a symbol of Iran’s changing society, where a young, urban generation is quietly challenging traditional gender roles and societal norms.
Last week, Iranian athlete Atousa Golshadnezhad won another gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia.
Women in Iran have, in recent years, been pushing social boundaries more broadly — defying the Islamic Republic’s strict rules, including the mandatory dress code.
The trend has been particularly evident since the September 2022 death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, who had been arrested by the morality police for allegedly violating the dress code.
Afshin Torkpour, head of Kyokushin-Ryu karate in Iran, has similarly noted a shift in recent years, with women turning to sports that “were once considered violent”.
Women practising the sport are now as, and often more motivated, said Torkpour, noting that they develop “a strong mindset”.
Around 150,000 people practise karate in Iran across all genders, says Torkpour, who estimates that the actual figure could be much higher, up to two million.
At the Asian Championships, the national junior women’s under-21 team won 11 medals, including six golds.
In 2020, two Iranian karatekas participated in the Tokyo Olympics in Japan but did not win any medals.
For Azam Ahmadi, a woman in her 30s who has practised the sport since she was 12, karate teaches essential life skills: “If you fall, you have to get back up, keep going, and never give up.”
Mina Mahadi, vice-head of the women’s Kyokushin-Ryu karate section in Iran, says it also allows girls to “gain confidence” instead of them “saying yes to anything”.
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The Miami (Ohio) RedHawks’ men’s basketball team continued their perfect start to the season on Tuesday night.
The No. 19 RedHawks defeated the Toledo Rockets, 74-72, improving to 30-0 and clinching at least a share of the Mid-American Conference regular-season title. Miami is the only undefeated team in Division I men’s basketball and has the best start and longest win streak in conference history.
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Miami (OH) guard Peter Suder, center, and the team celebrate the regular-season trophy at the conclusion of an NCAA college basketball game against Toledo, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Oxford, Ohio. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
The team celebrated with the regular-season trophy as confetti fell onto the court in the arena.
“That’s the beauty of basketball: When you’re having fun with the right group of guys, you can become unbeatable,” Miami star Peter Suder told reporters, via the school’s website.
“It’s a surreal moment, obviously,” he added as he reflected on his family and the support he’s received through his collegiate career. “They’ve been with me through it all, and I’m just super-happy they were there tonight and soaked in the moment as well.”
Miami (OH) guard Luke Skaljac reacts after a made 3-point basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Toledo, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Oxford, Ohio. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Suder had 19 points in the win and is averaging 14.8 points per game this season.
The RedHawks needed to dig deep to hang on against Toledo.
The Rockets cut the deficit to one on four different occasions. Toledo’s Austin Parks had a good opportunity to put the team ahead, but Miami’s Eian Elmer blocked him at the rim. Toledo trailed by two points and had the ball with 13 seconds left but a costly turnover sealed the win for Miami.
Miami completed its first season sweep of Toledo since the 1996-97 season and are now on a three-game winning streak against the Rockets after losing 22 straight from 2012-24.
Miami (OH) guard Peter Suder, center, raises the regular-season trophy with teammates at the conclusion of an NCAA college basketball game against Toledo, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Oxford, Ohio. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
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The RedHawks will finish the regular season on the road against the Ohio Bobcats on Friday night.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The Pakistan Cricket Board on Wednesday announced a 15-member squad for the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, with star batter Babar Azam and all-rounder Saim Ayub left out of the selection.
All three ODIs will be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka from 11 to 15 March, according to a statement issued by the cricket board.
Left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue to lead the ODI side, with six uncapped players included in the squad.
The uncapped players are Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan and Shamyl Hussain.
Among them, Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Saad Masood and Shamyl Hussain were part of the Pakistan Shaheens squad that played against England Lions in Abu Dhabi recently.
Notably, former ODI captain Babar and all-rounder Saim have been omitted from the squad.
For the unversed, Pakistan last played an ODI series in November last year, when they hosted Sri Lanka and completed a 3-0 clean sweep.
The series marked the second ODI assignment for captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, whose maiden stint in charge came in a home series against South Africa, which Pakistan won 2-1.
15-member squad:
Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha and Shamyl Hussain
Series schedule:
March 11 – First ODI at Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka
March 13 – Second ODI at Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka
March 15 – Third ODI at Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to appoint former national captain Sarfaraz Ahmed as the new coach of Pakistan’s Test cricket team, according to sources.
Sarfaraz Ahmed is expected to take charge ahead of Pakistan’s upcoming Test series against Bangladesh national cricket team, scheduled for May.
The development comes after the tenure of interim coach Azhar Mahmood concluded.
Sources said the PCB is likely to make an official announcement soon, confirming Sarfaraz Ahmed’s appointment as part of the coaching setup for the red-ball squad.
Currently, Sarfaraz Ahmed is serving as manager and mentor of Pakistan’s Under-19 cricket team, where he has been working closely with young talent and development programs.
Sarfaraz, who captained Pakistan to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, is widely regarded as one of the country’s most experienced cricket leaders.
Cricket analysts believe his leadership experience and understanding of the dressing room could help strengthen Pakistan’s performance in Test cricket.
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