The young runner, who competes in the 800 meters and 1,500 meters, had become the poster girl for the Olympic movement, with her face adorning the International Olympic Committee's Web site.
But being in the international spotlight had attracted the wrong kind of attention. Although Ahdyar always ran in a headscarf and wore long tracksuit bottoms she still received death threats from extremists who objected to a Muslim woman taking part in sports at all.
When she received visits from Western media earlier this year, her neighbors called the police telling them she was obviously a prostitute working for foreign clients. Her father, a carpenter, even spent time in jail until the issue was cleared up.
Now. Is this caused by Islam or is it caused by radicals? And if it is caused by radicals, where is NOW and other women's organizations in the US and Europe condeming the actions?
It remains plain for anyone to see. Only Muslims can reform their religion. When we accept without comment such actions they are unlikely to respond, seeing no support from the world's largest democracy.
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