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Give Bassant a Chance To Compete
Bassant Hemida. (Screenshot: Facebook)

Give Bassant a Chance To Compete

Al-Masry Al-Youm, Egypt, July 3

Last week I used this column to write to Nicole Shampaine, the chargé d’affaires of the US Embassy in Cairo and called upon her to intervene and grant entry visas to many Egyptian players scheduled to compete in the 2022 World Games held in Birmingham, Alabama. Many of the athletes, who had been previously denied US visas, subsequently heard back from the consulate and received the paperwork they dreamed of. Today, I’m writing to Nicole again, with an even more specific plea: Please grant the Egyptian champion, Bassant Hemida, an entry visa that would allow her to compete in the 2022 World Athletics Championships, taking place next week in Oregon. Hemida is a remarkable woman who shattered numerous glass ceilings throughout her short but impressive career. Last week, she won the gold medal in the women’s 100-meter sprint at the Mediterranean Games, which were held in the Algerian city of Oran. Few spectators expected her to win, and even fewer knew her name before her victory, but Hemida didn’t let her anonymity stand in the way of her ambition. She became the first Egyptian athlete to ever win a gold medal in this competition, which is considered as prestigious as the Olympic games. Based on her performance to date, Hemida is eighth in the Olympic ranking, and the difference between her and No. 7 is only 50 milliseconds. Granted, 50 milliseconds is not a small number in the realm of running, but it certainly leaves room for Hemida to dream and try. But for that to happen, she must be given the opportunity to compete with her international colleagues. Sadly, she can’t obtain a visa that would allow her to travel to Oregon. The International Association of Athletics Federations already tried to help, but to no avail. I’m therefore writing these lines with the hope that the chargé d’affaires will read them – and help give a talented young female athlete the opportunity to compete in the global arena. –Yasser Ayoub (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)

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