How Spain's Kaba Gassama fought misogyny and racial insults

"You are a woman. You have to be home and not do sports."

That’s what Kaba Gassama was told by her parents’ friends in Senegal when she was a young aspiring handball player.

Now a key member of the Spain women's national team, Gassama told Olympics.com, “It was challenging and hard, because I was too young to understand. Why would someone say that I have to stay home? Why can I not go to play handball with my friends?

"Thankfully, my parents said, 'No, you can go and do whatever you want.' I’ve always had the support of my family.”

Going against the norms of her parents' homeland, Gassama pursued her handball career although there was little suggestion she would become such a powerful pivot in the professional game.

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Kaba Gassama: My parents never practised any sport

Kaba Gassama was born and grew up in Granollers, Spain after her parents emigrated to the Catalan city from Senegal more than 40 years ago.

Later, they were blessed with four children - two sons and two daughters. Today, three of them are professional athletes.

Her older brother Sekou plays football in Cyprus for Anorthosis Famagusta. Her other older brother Mamadou is, like Kaba, a handball player and plies his trade for Sporting CP in the Portuguese first division.

The youngest Gassama of the family, Goundo, is only 17 years old but already a promising handball goalkeeper for KH-7 BM Granollers.

Although sport was always on the television at home, the Gassama children were not always destined to become athletes.

“Actually, it's crazy because my father has never practised any sport, my mother also,” Kaba Gassama said. “Growing up in Granollers, I started playing handball because my older brother played. I came to watch him, he played very well and was having fun.”

“Then I said, ‘Okay, I will try also.' In Granollers, handball is very popular so I started playing with my friends when I was 12. I enjoyed it a lot, but I never thought about becoming a professional handball player.“

Kaba Gassama: Some people insulted me because I was black

Gassama did turn professional and started her career with KH-7 Granollers nine years ago.

Now, she plays for the German side Bietigheim in the Bundesliga.

However, it was not only the opposition from the Senegalese community that Gassama had to deal with in her in youth.

Often, the line player (or pivot) was the only position players with African roots would adopt.

“When I was young, I didn't see a lot of black handball players,” Gassama explained. “For me, it was difficult, as some people insulted me because I was black. It was very hard, because when you are young, you don't think about your skin colour.”

Today, it is a topic Gassama addresses whenever she has the opportunity, and she tries not to be affected by the comments.

Kaba Gassama: It would be amazing to go to the Olympics

Gassama and Spain's hopes of reaching the quarter-finals at the 2023 World Championship were dealt a huge blow on Friday (8 December) as they went down to Czechia.

That first defeat of the tournament leaves them needing to beat the Netherlands in Frederikshavn, Denmark on Sunday and hope the Czechs trip up against Brazil.

Just one quota spot at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is up for grabs at these World Championships with six more available at April's Olympic Qualification Tournaments.

And like most athletes, Gassama is hoping to be in the French capital with her teammates.

She said, “I think every player wants to go to the Olympics. It would be amazing to go to France, because it’s so close to Spain, and my family can go there to support the team. But we have a lot of work to do, and we will see."

The final of the 2023 World Women's Handball Championship is in Herning, Denmark on 17 December.