Afghan Woman Boxer

Nineteen-year-old Afghan boxer Sadaf Rahimi slams her punching bag deep in the bowels of Kabul's Ghazi stadium, dealing blows to gender stereotyping and doing her part to exorcise history. Sadaf, with her muscular 130lb frame, is an exception in this conservative Muslim country where women participating in sport remains a taboo. Her black pirate bandana serves not just to hold her hair in place, but to cover it. "I also wear a scarf in my everyday life because we live in a conservative country," she says. Sadaf is a brilliant boxer and she has already brought home three bronze medals in regional competitions, but isn't yet up to Olympic standard. The International Boxing Association eventually did not allow her to leave for London, fearing her better trained opponents could seriously injure her.