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FOOTBALL coach and international star Deena Rahman is feeling on top of the world after playing in a breath-taking, record-breaking match on a mountain top.
She has returned to the kingdom representing Bahrain in a Guinness World Record international initiative aimed at raising awareness about equality in sport.
Deena, 34, joined 30 top players hailing from six continents on a gruelling trek up Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to play in a full 11-a-side, 90-minute match in the name of sport-loving women everywhere.
“It feels amazing to have achieved this feat,” she said. “I was delighted to play a full 90 minutes and to be a part of this amazing initiative to promote women in sport which, of course, is something that I am extremely passionate about.
“The record still needs to be verified before we can really celebrate, but it is starting to sink in now, just exactly what we achieved up there, and being a part of history of course is something I can always treasure. Why did we do this? It’s simple - for equality, opportunity and respect - nothing more and nothing less.
“The day of the football match was challenging but rewarding and this trip was truly one of the best experiences I have ever had. It was a completely unique occasion and I met some amazing people with the same goals and desires. Memories were made that I will never forget.”
The project, dubbed Equal Playing Field, aimed at paving the way for equality in sport, pushing for equal representation and respect on the pitch and in life.
As reported in GulfWeekly, Deena was contacted by the organisers, a trio of football stars from the UK and the US, after they had heard of all her efforts at promoting girls and ladies football on the island … and Deena was more than thrilled to join their movement.
Deena’s journey began when she arrived to Tanzania on June 13.
She spent the first three days taking in the sights and enjoying a safari before joining the rest of the playing party and campaigners at a base camp in Arusha.
The next day, the women split into two teams to play a friendly against a Tanzanian Ladies team.
The Volcano FC representatives defeated the Tanzanian challengers 3-0 with Deena getting her name on the score sheet.
An eight-day trek up the 5,895m mountain began with the record-breaking goal ahead of playing the highest altitude game of competitive football ever.
The players were woken at 6am every morning with a hot drink to help them warm up before the day’s hike. Deena said: “We would then pack up and get ready with our bags. We hiked around four to five hours and sometimes longer. Every day was different in terms of terrain and weather.
“We aimed to get to the next camp and spend the afternoon on an acclimatisation walk, which involved going to a higher point to get used to the altitude, or have a friendly match between our teams.
“Dinner would be followed by a group meeting about the next day’s itinerary and what equipment would be needed. We would usually go to bed around 9pm with a hot water bottle which was a definite bonus in the cold temperature!”
The girls were split into five groups with Deena leading Team Ngiri (which means warthog).
“The trek was amazing,” Deena explained. “Our main concern was altitude sickness so we walked slowly. In Tanzania they say ‘Pole Pole’ which means ‘slowly slowly’, but each day was different, whether it got colder or we had steep parts to conquer. We had to scramble across the mountain wall at one point which was exciting and we were above the clouds where the stars were bright and clear.
“At the top, there was an amazing glacier and we walked back down through a rainforest. The changing views and scenes made it even more exciting, every day we would get to camp with the view of the summit getting closer.”
The day of the big game was a particularly exciting moment for all involved. They woke up at 2am and endured a gruelling five-hour trek to Stella Point, a FIFA-approved field to stage the match.
There was a medical team on standby and a TV film crew to document the challenge in order for it to be recognised as a world record.
Deena said: “During the trek, it was freezing and tough as the air got thinner. We arrived at a crater, located just below the summit at an altitude of 5,729m.
“Our support team left earlier to set up the pitch with porters taking the goals up. There was a FIFA official there to make sure all the measurements were correct and flour was used to form the lines as to not harm the natural environment of the area. There was even a team to help clear rocks off the pitch.”
The game kicked off at 10.15am and according to Deena, the pitch was mainly sand which made it difficult to connect with the ball and the recovery time was much slower due to the altitude.
Some players were dropping by the end of the game and needed oxygen to recover. Nonetheless, they continued to pick themselves up and play knowing that this remarkable achievement would be talked about for years to come.
They players wanted a global audience to recognise some of the issues facing women wanting to play sport. Some girls aren’t allowed to play at all for cultural reasons. Other players are locked in an amateur status with little funding to develop their talent. Even professional women face unequal pay and the women’s game in general receives less media coverage.
The Guinness World Record highest elevation football game was played by a combination of worldwide female pros, enthusiasts and football charity graduates aged 15 to 55. It was phase one of a determined plan to raise awareness and funding for global women’s football development two years ahead of the next Women’s World Cup.
Alongside Deena, other players involved included former Canadian international Sasha Andrews, former German World Cup star Petra Landers, Afghan’s Hajar Abufazl, former FIFA World Cup referee Jacqui Hurford and others from Argentina, France, Egypt, Jordan, Mexico, the UK, US and the United Arab Emirates.
Deena also had the pleasure of meeting up and playing alongside her old friend, Rachel Unitt.
She explained: “I was delighted to meet up with Rachel again after 16 years! We played together professionally at Fulham FC in 2001 and also for the England U18s.
“We had a great time catching up. Dawn Scott was also on the trip as one of the coaches. She is currently the US ladies national team fitness coach but she was my fitness coach during my time with the England U18s.
“I also knew a few girls from UAE and Saudi Arabia and now have friends all around the world as 24 countries were represented in the initiative.”
Although both teams had clear chances to score the big match ended in a goalless draw and despite that, each and every footballer felt they achieved their goal.
After dusting themselves off and celebrating their sky-high accomplishment, the women climbed for another hour to reach the summit.
Deena, who helps run the Tekkers Football Academy in Bahrain, added: “By this point we were all pretty tired but were determined to get to the top. Out of a group of 60 people, only two players didn’t reach the summit which was very impressive compared to the normal statistics.
“This was down to the strength of all of us to the reach the goal and the outstanding work of Nature Discovery, the trekking company we used to run the trip. We arrived back at camp around 6pm for some well-earned food and rest!”
Phase two of the mountain initiative is for the girls to split into smaller teams and run simultaneous football training clinics for women and girls in several countries. Deena explained: “Now that we have built this initial momentum, it’s important that off the back of this that we work hard to proactively provide opportunities.
“Over the next year we will have clinics being conducted around the world for girls to play football. I’m aiming to attend a couple over the summer as well as to organise one in Bahrain which will complement our healthy programme at Tekkers Academy for female football.
“I was delighted that with my gofundme page supported by family and friends, the Nasser bin Hamad Foundation and the Bahrain National Ladies Team as well as a couple of events at Tekkers Academy, I was able to cover the cost of the trip.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me to achieve this.
“I always aim to inspire and motivate all of our players and actions speak louder than words. I do hope this is the start of a huge movement in female sport and more girls have access to play and enjoy the array of benefits it has to offer in life.”
She also underwent intensive training at the Lift Strength and Conditioning Centre and Bahrain Boxing Club in Budiaya alongside sports massaging sessions at Zen Massage in Saar after receiving sponsorship.
There are now talks of a new challenge for the footballers which could include playing at the lowest point in the world in Jordan at the Dead Sea.
