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For years, women and girls who wear the hijab have struggled to participate in sports. But two Edmonton initiatives are helping change that by creating welcoming environments where players don't feel out of place.
"I've played soccer in Lebanon for as long as I can remember," said Chaymaa Chehimi, the 21-year-old founder and coach of Edmonton's Al Wahda women's soccer team.
But after coming to the Alberta city five years ago, Chehimi said she found a notable absence of "people within my culture, people from my religion, people that looked like me" on local teams.
The former professional soccer player started Al Wahda in 2025 to create a space where hijabi women could "be able to be part of a team and feel, not just welcome but kind of fit in and feel comfortable playing."
The issue goes back to 2007 when soccer associations in Quebec and Alberta banned players from the pitch, citing safety concerns about their head coverings.
Though the Alberta Soccer Association approved hijabs for players in December 2007, it took until 2014 before FIFA, soccer's world governing body, formally allowed the wearing of head covers during matches.
But the controversies had already created a situation where hijabi women didn't feel welcome.
Even after the hijab ban was lifted, some players still faced comments from other teams and referees about their hijab, said Chehimi.
Chehimi, a sports massage therapist, said modesty concerns present another issue that causes many hijabi athletes to stop playing.
"I feel like people kind of don't know how to stand up for themselves and be like, 'No, this is a modest wear. I can't show my knees, I'm hijabi,' so they kind of chose not to fight that battle and ... let go of that sport."
Advocating for other hijab players and letting soccer associations know they will be dressing modestly in games are priorities for Chehimi, who believes it's important to create a supportive environment where the players can participate fully without having to compromise their religious beliefs.
Another organization that is changing the game in Edmonton is Unbreakable Sisterhood, which runs basketball programs for hijabi girls.
Unbreakable Sisterhood was created in 2022 by a group of young Black Muslim women to help connect women through programming that includes enhancing Islamic education, promoting physical wellness and providing opportunities to play sports.
Its basketball program is full, with 65 girls on six teams, said Hanan Ali, a coach who works as an educational assistant.
Since the basketball program launched in 2022, it has grown by more than 60 per cent, Ali said in an interview with CBC. Registration is capped because of the cost and availability of facilities for practice and play.
A recent highlight was a November training camp with Jamad Fiin, a Somali American professional basketball player. Finn is the founder of Jamad Basketball Camps, which has done events in 15 cities around the world involving upward of 15,000 girls, according to the program's website.
The training camp gave young hijabi players the opportunity to build their skills and their confidence to pursue basketball at higher levels, said Fiin.
"Comfort and modesty are huge priorities for them. The choice isn't about ability, it's about the environment aligning with their values," Ali said.
Ali said sports hijabs are helping open the door for hijabi players competing in post-secondary or professional leagues.
But there is still work to do, she said.
"I wear Nike and Lululemon hijabs while playing on my community league teams," Ali said.
"There are many girls who play on their junior high and high school teams and are accommodated. However, there are still almost none at the higher levels. The skills are there, but I'm curious about what's happening at the organizational level."