As the referee’s whistle signaled the start of the match, two 5-year-old Iranian girls faced off, delivering a closely watched karate bout to a captivated audience — a sign of the changing attitude toward martial arts in the Islamic Republic in recent years.
The two young opponents, clad in crisp, white karategi with colored belts and protective headgear, circled each other on the tatami, the floor covering used for practicing Japanese martial arts.
Their movements were sharp and deliberate, each kick and block executed with precision and control to the cheers of an all-female audience.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.