East London, UK — The East London Mosque (ELM) has announced that it will reassess the format of its annual charity park run following public criticism for excluding women over the age of 12 from participating in this year’s event.
Earlier this month, the mosque hosted its 12th annual 5km charity run in Victoria Park, billed as an “inclusive” community event. However, participation was restricted to men, boys, and girls under 12, sparking widespread backlash from politicians and advocacy groups.
Government and Advocacy Groups Respond
Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Communities, expressed strong disapproval, describing the exclusion of women as “horrifying and unacceptable.” Similarly, the Muslim Women’s Network UK (MWNUK) voiced disappointment, noting that event organizers “could have implemented practical measures to include women and girls without compromising religious values.”
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The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) confirmed that it is still assessing whether the incident constitutes a violation of the Equality Act 2010.
Mosque Defends Its Position
In response to the criticism, ELM representatives told The Guardian that they were confident no laws had been breached but would nonetheless “review the event format” for the next edition.
According to mosque officials, the women’s section was offered the chance to participate in a separate event, but low turnout made it impractical.
“We did offer a women’s run, but only one or two showed interest. It’s impossible to organize a race with just one or two participants,” said Sufia Alam, Head of Programmes at ELM and Director of the Maryam Centre, which oversees women’s activities.
She emphasized that the decision was based on community preference rather than discrimination.
“We haven’t banned anyone — the event was designed for a specific group. Our community of over 10,000 members would not accept anything inappropriate,” Alam explained.
Women’s Programs and Activities
Alam highlighted that ELM has long supported women’s programs, including badminton, swimming, lifeguard training, and football coaching. She also revealed that a new women’s health and wellbeing hub will open soon to further support female congregants.
She argued that external critics often misunderstand cultural and religious contexts.
“Critics think they’re defending women’s rights, but they overlook that Muslim women have their own voice and choice. Women here prefer women-only spaces — no one asked us what we wanted; they just assumed we were banned,” she added.
Security Concerns After Backlash
Following media coverage, the mosque reported receiving numerous hostile messages and said it had increased security in response.
Junaid Ahmed, Chief Executive of East London Mosque, confirmed the situation, stating:
“We’ve had a large number of hate messages since the reports surfaced. The safety of our worshippers and staff is our top priority, so we’ve strengthened our security arrangements.”
Looking Ahead
While controversy continues, the mosque says it remains committed to serving all members of the community and will take feedback into account when planning future events.
“We’ll review the format to ensure it reflects both community needs and wider expectations,” a spokesperson added.
