Reema El Qassem Pioneers Wheelchair Basketball as First Non-Verbal, Hijab-Wearing Athlete

Reema El Qassem, a single mother of four, has become the first hijab-wearing, non-verbal athlete in the Women's National Wheelchair Basketball League (WNWBL)[1][5][6][7][8]. She joined the Sydney Uni Lions within seven months of commencing rehabilitation, helping the team secure a runner-up finish in the 2025 national championships[4][13]. By 2026, with El Qassem on the team, the Sydney Uni Lions reached the national league play-offs again[8][14].

Her journey highlights the power of adaptive sports to transform lives and build community for individuals facing significant health challenges.

What the Records Show

El Qassem's entry into wheelchair basketball followed a diagnosis of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) in 2023, a condition that impairs brain and nervous system function and rendered her non-verbal[8][14]. After spending 320 days in the hospital, she began rehabilitation at the Advance Rehab Centre (ARC)[2][3][4][13]. Her communication relies primarily on her phone[1]. Within seven months of starting her rehabilitation, El Qassem joined the Sydney Uni Lions, an Australian team in the Women's National Wheelchair Basketball League[4][8][13][14]. She is recognized as the first hijab-wearing, non-verbal athlete in the league, a significant first within her sporting community[1][5][6][7][8]. Mick Garnett, CEO of Wheelchair Sports NSW/ACT, noted that her involvement educates the community about her culture and faith, particularly in a sport that demands high levels of communication[10].

Timeline

In 2023, Reema El Qassem was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder, which caused her to become non-verbal[8][14]. She subsequently spent 320 days receiving hospital care[2][3]. Following her hospitalization, El Qassem began rehabilitation at the Advance Rehab Centre[4][13]. Within seven months of starting rehabilitation, she joined the Sydney Uni Lions in the Women's National Wheelchair Basketball League[4][13]. The team achieved a runner-up position in the 2025 national championships with El Qassem[4][13]. In 2026, the Sydney Uni Lions, with El Qassem as part of the team, again reached the national league play-offs[8][14].

What Changed and For Whom

Wheelchair basketball provided El Qassem with a new sense of purpose and community following her FND diagnosis and extensive hospitalization[4][8][13]. As a single mother, the sport offered a pathway to feeling