Iraqi Women Table Tennis Players Battle Odds to Chase Paralympic Dreams

Diwaniyah, Iraq — July 27, 2025
In the heart of Iraq’s conservative south, a group of determined women is rewriting the narrative on disability and sports. Led by medal-winning player Nur al-Huda Sarmad, eight Iraqi women table tennis players are defying extreme heat, limited resources, and deep-rooted societal barriers — all for a single dream: qualifying for the Paralympic Games.

Training at a modest community centre in Diwaniyah, the women — all living with disabilities — face daily obstacles. Their equipment is outdated, facilities are barely functional, and there’s no proper cooling even as temperatures soar near 50°C. With power cuts frequent, players must practice without fans or air conditioning, relying on a generator just powerful enough to keep the lights on.

“We even have to buy our own paddles,” says Sarmad, 25, who has already won medals abroad, including a bronze in Thailand.
“But we overcame all this — we became players.”

Fighting Heat, Stigma, and Neglect
Despite the dedication shown by the players, state support remains minimal. The team shares only three worn-out tables with other visitors, and the $75 monthly stipend barely covers transport. Worse, taxis often refuse to take disabled passengers.

Their coach, Mohammed Riyad, who is also a member of the Iraqi Paralympic Committee, points to systemic neglect:

“The state only focuses on football. Table tennis here has developed only through personal efforts.”

That neglect stands in sharp contrast to the players’ ambitions. Sarmad and her teammates are training for an upcoming qualifier that could secure a place on Iraq’s national Paralympic team.

Inspiration and Resilience
The women draw motivation from Najlah Imad, Iraq’s first Paralympic table tennis gold medalist, who won at the Paris 2024 Games. Now a role model, Imad has become a voice of encouragement:

“Despite the difficult circumstances, nothing is impossible.”

For fellow player Iman Hamza, 24, the team’s success is proof that assumptions about disabled women are wrong:

“Society sees us as helpless — but we became world champions.”

A Bigger Fight
Beyond the training room, the struggle also includes cultural and gender barriers. In southern Iraq, even public sporting events like marathons have come under pressure to exclude women. Still, the team presses on — not just to win games, but to transform perceptions of disability, gender, and strength.

As the next Paralympic qualifying tournament nears, these athletes continue to defy the odds — one serve, one smash, and one match at a time.