Pushing tensions and unrest into the background, the footballers have broken new ground every day of the 11-day tournament for young boys and girls that entered the finals Wednesday.
Undeterred by the dipping temperatures or indeed the taboos imposed on them by a conservative society, women footballers in Kashmir Valley are bending it just like Beckham did. The women, some dressed in body suits with hijabs covering their heads, are also bending societal rules as they play the game to cheering crowds at the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)-sponsored football tournament.
Pushing tensions and unrest into the background, the footballers have broken new ground every day of the 11-day tournament for young boys and girls that entered the finals Wednesday. Braving the bone-chilling cold, nearly 40 teams, including10 women teams, participated in the event here. Each team, comprising 16 players, played league matches before four teams, two each of boys and girls, made it to the finals.
What added zing to the tournament, described as a runaway success by the organisers, were the hijab-wearing players who stole the show. Rewriting global uniform rules, these Kashmiri girls, some of whom have been training with the boys, say the head scarf is part of their dress code.
Insha Rasheed, a BA student of the Government Women College in MA Road, has been wearing the hijab since her school days. "I have been playing football for the last one-and-a half years. But I have never shunned the hijab. It is part of my dress code. It is giving me a lot of confidence," Insha, a defender in her team, told DNA.
Afshan Ashiq, who plays as a goalie for Team Women College, also covers her head but, determined to succeed in the world of soccer, trains with the boys. Despite the unrest in the Valley, she would make it a point to be present for practice at Bakshi Stadium.
"I am a goalie and sometimes play as a striker. I have been playing football for three years now and have been wearing a hijab all through. I train with the Real Kashmir Club and want to be a world class soccer player," she said.
The mood in the stadium has been electric as crowds leave behind the stresses of the last few months to throng the stadium. When the girls enter the ground, there are loud cheers. For every move, there's a clap and for every goal, a cheer.
Just yards away from the ground, the boys practice hard to win the title.
"We stopped practising football for one month during the peak time of hartal and agitation. Sportsmen have a different mentality. Politics and sports are two different things," said Kamran Shafi Wani, defender of the finalist International Football Club, Nowgam.
They have often faced objections from stone-pelting mobs. "We were stopped by stone-pelters many times when we were going for practice. We could not train for months. Our families too were afraid of us going to play fields," said another footballer, who preferred not to be named.
Rajesh Yadav, CRPF Spokesman at Srinagar, said that they had planned the tournament in July but had to defer it till December after trouble broke out following the killing of Burhan Wani.
"We are very satisfied with the success of the tournament. Particularly because, the girls have come forward to participate in the tournament. This is very encouraging," he said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Kashmiri girls")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}