Marking in her words “the greatest achievement for all Libyan women,” Intisar Shanib became president of Dernes Sports Club, a prominent soccer club in the eastern Libyan city of Derna, after all other candidates declined in her favor.
Mohamed Abdel-Ati, acting president of the club’s General Assembly, told Reuters on Monday that three rival candidates have allowed Shanib, a Derna city councilor and chair of the House of Commons women and children’s affairs committee, to be elected unopposed as the sole candidate within the next two weeks.
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“Our support for Intisar Schnaib did not come out of nowhere, but rather to benefit from her strong connections who can contribute to the development of the club,” he said, stressing that the next stage must focus on nurturing investment so that the club can rely on its own resources, as well as paying attention to the youth sector, which Schnaib has pledged to address.
Shanib told Reuters the task was “not easy” but “it’s an honor for me and an honor for Libyan women to have a woman in this position.”
“I want to prove, especially to fans of Darnes Club, that Libyan women have something to offer,” she added.
Darnes Crab: A long history
Founded in 1958, Dernes Sports Club, known in Libyan sporting circles as “elegant” for the aesthetic performance of its athletes, was founded in the coastal city of Derna, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, about 300 km (186 miles) east of the country’s second city, Benghazi.
The club went through various stages of naming and regained its historic name after 2011, following a merger with another club known as ‘Al Afriki’. This name is said to reflect the city’s location surrounded by mountains.
Shanib emphasized that her connection with the club goes back to her childhood, as her brother and uncle previously played for the Danes club and many of her close associates support the team.
Shanib said the responsibility for the club was collective, stressing unity from the management to the fans and the people of the city.
She acknowledged that her appointment was not without criticism. “No matter what position you take, there will be encouragement and criticism,” Shahib said. “There is a certain jealousy as to why women are able to hold this position. There are countries where women lead, not just sports clubs. Leadership is not measured by whether it is led by a woman or a man, it is measured by ability and ability.”
Abdel-Ati also said that the city of Derna has many pioneering women who have the necessary skills to hold leadership positions.
Shanib confirmed that the upcoming period will focus on rebuilding the club, which is suffering from a cumulative crisis, including internal and external debt, as well as the war with armed groups and the impact of Storm Daniel, which hit the city in September 2023, killing thousands and causing widespread infrastructure destruction.
Women as key executives
With her appointment, Shanib joins a growing list of women leading sports clubs and federations. In the Arab world, Hanan al-Qurashi became Saudi Arabia’s first woman to become president of Taif-based Wezi Sports Club in June 2023, and Abdullah al-Saati took over the role the following year.
This pattern is not new on the African continent. For example, Anisha Muhoozi has been the CEO of Kampala Capital City Authority Club in Uganda since 2018, considered one of the most successful clubs in the country.
In Kenya, Doris Petra will serve as vice president of the Kenya Federation from 2021 to 2025, becoming the first woman to do so.
In 2021, Comorosian Khanizat Ibrahim was elected to the executive committee of African football governing body CAF and was subsequently appointed as CAF’s fifth vice-president, becoming the first woman to hold this position. She currently serves on the council of FIFA, the world governing body for soccer.
In Italy, Claudia Rizzo, who heads Serie C side Ternana Calcio, has made headlines as the youngest and one of the few female presidents of an Italian club. She was appointed last September at the age of 23, making history as the youngest and first female president in the club’s century-long history.
And in Brazil, Leila Pereira has been the president of Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras since 2021. Under her leadership, the club continued to win important national and international titles.
