Habiba al Hinai, wearing a blue scarf, a blue business suit and a long skirt other than traditional Arab robe that Omani women wear, became excited when speaking about her dream: "I have a dream that one day Omani flag can rise in Olympic Games for Omani woman."
Hinai, a torch bearer for the Beijing Olympic relay to be held in Muscat, capital of Oman, on Monday, is the vice chairwoman of Oman Volleyball Association, the highest position that Omani women that ever occupied in sports.
Among the 57 torch bearers that the Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) has chosen, only three are female.
"For me to have been chosen as one of the torch bearers is a sign that recognition of women's sports is on the rise in Oman and people now feel that women's sports should be represented at international events alongside men's," Hinai told Xinhua on Sunday.
She was a volleyball player in early 1990's when women sports were not officially recognized in Oman and women can only have sports in school.
"After you graduate from the university, everything is over. You have no places to play balls and women cannot be admitted to any club," said Hinai, who had never represented Oman to participate in any regional or international games. She and her teammates only played in Oman with teams from companies.
Hinai was the first woman that fought for official reorganization for women sports in Oman, which came true in 1993. But until recent four years there was no women national team in any sport program.
Since the Ministry of Sports was founded four year ago, there's high boost for women's sports in Oman, she said, elaborating that women were nominated as board members in sports association such like herself.
Woman and Sports Committee was formed under Oman Olympic Committee; national teams such as volleyball, tennis and table tennis have been formed and they have attended regional and international games and won medals.
Hinai proudly showed the pictures of the first GCC (Gulf Cooperation Countries) Women Sports Tournament held last month in Kuwait during which the Omani delegation, led by herself, has won 20 medals, ranking the third among the six GCC countries.
But Hinai said that the national teams are still young and they need time to build up and become strong. "I have a dream that one day Omani flag can rise in Olympic Games for Omani woman," she said.
As the only female board member of OOC and Oman Sports Club, Hinai said she wants more female members in the decision-making body since she has only one vote and it is hard for women's sports programs to get fund sometimes.
"We have our special needs that we would like the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to hear them from our mouth. We don't want anyone to speak for us," said Hinai, a warrior in fighting for women's rights.
"We wish that one day I will see that women from this part of the world, become members of the IOC and Olympic Asian Committee. That's the only way to develop sports in the Muslim world."
As a Muslim, Hinai said she will wear scarf as usual when relaying the torch . "I will wear white one so that it can match with the sports suits that Beijing has brought to us."
Hinai has a 10-year-old son who is "very excited" and admires his mother to be a torch bearer. "He will watch the live TV broadcast and see how his mother relay the torch ," Hinai said, smiling.
(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2008)