Basra basketball star credits family support for smooth rise to success

BASRA – Tabarak Rahman, a player for the Basra women’s basketball team, attributes her smooth journey to success to her supportive family, which helped her avoid the challenges many women athletes face due to limited opportunities or lack of familial and communal support. Unlike some talented female athletes who are unable to continue their sports careers due to family restrictions, Rahman said she never encountered such struggles.

Rahman initially started her sports career in wrestling and athletics but later transitioned to basketball. She began basketball training in 2010, and after two years of dedicated practice, she started participating in tournaments. Her standout performance earned her the title of Iraq’s top female professional player in 2015. In March, she led Basra’s team to victory in the province’s championship.

Despite her success, Rahman pointed out that basketball in Iraq receives little media attention or government support. She noted that the Iraqi national basketball team has not participated in any competitions since 2017.

“I grew up in a sports-oriented family, so I didn’t face any difficulties,” Rahman told 964media. “My father, Rahman Nouri, was a basketball player for the Al-Minaa team in the 1980s, and my mother was also an athlete, a former basketball player, chess referee, and physiotherapist.”

Rahman said her family’s strong support made it easier for her to pursue sports, even while living in a tribal environment. “They gave me all the moral support, and my continuation in sports was very smooth,” she said.

However, she expressed concern about the underrepresentation of women in sports and the barriers many female athletes face due to family opposition. In Iraq, societal pressures often force women to conform to traditional roles, and many are expected to abandon their athletic aspirations in favor of family expectations, such as marriage.

Now residing in the Hakimiya area, Rahman had temporarily paused her studies but is currently preparing for her high school exams. After trying several sports in her childhood—wrestling, cycling, athletics, and weightlifting—she found her true passion in basketball.

Reflecting on the state of basketball in Iraq, Rahman said the sport is overshadowed by soccer, with little media focus or government support. “We have great talents in basketball, but there is no focus or government support. The Iraqi national basketball team has not participated in any competition since 2017,” she added.