Sara Gamal set to become first hijab-wearing Muslim woman to referee basketball at Olympics 2020

Sara Gamal is set to make Olympic history by becoming the first hijab-wearing Muslim woman to referee basketball at the Games.

The Egyptian civil engineer will also be the first Arab and African woman to officiate 3x3 basketball, which is also making its debut at Toyko.

Gamal said young women referees in Egypt often wrote to her saying they had thought they had no opportunity to be in big tournaments or travel.

"I tell them you can do better than me. You can achieve all your goals anywhere you want. You have the power to do it,” she told the BBC.

"It's a big honour that they can think about their future as referees and see that if they work hard they will achieve their dreams."

Source: BBC