She is a striker. And true to her playing position on the field, Sumaiyya Shaikh, 16, has struck out the hurdles that stood between her and football. This includes coaxing her father, the imam of a mosque in  Ahmednagar, to allow her to be a sportswoman. The challenge that faces her today, however, is one that she cannot seem to surmount. It involves the government and a top international football body.

The suspension of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) made headlines earlier this month, shocking players and coaches, including members of  Gokulam Kerala FC  who were on their way to compete at the Asian Football Confederation Women’s Club Championship in Uzbekistan. They had to sit out when they learnt of the ban after arriving in Tashkent.