Muslim women in sport

A major barrier to Muslim women engaging in sport has been the lack of appropriate, safe and welcoming spaces. Muslim women in western Sydney are taking matters into their own hands and creating these spaces for themselves and their communities. They have discovered strength, connection and confidence through karate, bootcamp, boxing and AFL.

Photographer Lisa Maree Williams created the Muslim Women in Sport series in 2017, capturing these women achieving excellence in their sport, or simply celebrating small wins along the way.

Join Pictorial Acquisitions Librarian Rachelle Ayoub in conversation with Dr Zeynab Alshelh, Bianca Elmir, Amna Karra-Hassan and photographer Lisa Maree Williams. Together, they will explore the intersection between Muslim faith, sport, womanhood, self-confidence and community, celebrating the new photography display in the Library’s Amaze Gallery.

Dr Zeynab Alshelh has been practising karate since she was a child, going on to represent Australia in international championships and becoming a sensei to young people in her community. Zeynab completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School and Emory University and is now a neuroscientist and academic at the University of Sydney. She has long challenged stereotypes about Muslim women through her sport, career and activism, inspiring the next generation.

Bianca Elmir is a former champion Australian boxer who, over the past decade, has won multiple titles, led women’s boxing clinics across Australia and the Pacific, and used her platform to inspire and empower others through storytelling and advocacy. Boxing has shaped her journey as a Muslim woman, challenging her to break down the barriers of a male-dominated sport.

Amna Karra-Hassan is a global consultant and business owner, advocating for cultural diversity and representation in all areas of society. In 2025 she was a UN Women Australia MBA Scholarship recipient. Drawing on her experience leading community engagement programs with the Australian Federal Police, Amna continued this work in her own community. She founded western Sydney’s first women’s AFL team, the Auburn Giants, and RAWWomen bootcamp, which she runs with her sisters.

Lisa Maree Williams is a leading Australian visual storyteller, renowned for her sensitive approach and striking, often intimate portrayals across photojournalism and portraiture. Her photography explores themes of social justice, identity, environment and cultural shifts. Widely published over two decades, Lisa has collaborated with global brands and agencies. Her work is held in public and private collections and has been recognised in industry awards such as Poyi, Sony World Photo, Head On and The Walkley Awards. She is the co-founder of Australian Women in Photography (AUSWIP).

Rachelle Ayoub is a Librarian in Pictorial Acquisition & Curation, with a particular focus on representing the diversity of Australian life and people. With a background in History, English literature and Museum & Heritage Studies, she works with a variety of formats: curating, researching, writing and sharing. She has worked with Australian institutions, including the National Film and Sound Archive and the National Library of Australia, as well as abroad.

Image credit: Lisa Maree Williams

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Host or Publisher State Library of New South Wales