Ukraine, Egypt explore preferential trade deal: Zelenskyy    Egypt, Russia's Rosatom review grid readiness for El-Dabaa nuclear plant    Mastercard Unveils AI-Powered Card Fraud Prevention Service in EEMEA Region, Starting from Egypt    Global tour for Korean 'K-Comics' launches in Cairo with 'Hellbound' exhibition    China's factory output expands in June '25    Egyptian pound climbs against dollar at Wednesday's close    New accords on trade, security strengthen Egypt-Oman Relations    Egypt launches public-private partnership to curb c-sections, improve maternal, child health    Gaza under Israeli siege as death toll mounts, famine looms    EMRA, Elsewedy sign partnership to explore, develop phosphate reserves in Sebaiya    Philip Morris Misr announces new price list effective 1 July    Egypt Post discusses enhanced cooperation with Ivorian counterpart    Egypt's Environment Minister calls for stronger action on desertification, climate resilience in Africa    Egypt in diplomatic push for Gaza truce, Iran-Israel de-escalation    Egypt teams up with private sector to boost university rankings    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Egypt condemns deadly terrorist attack in Niger    Egypt, Tunisia discuss boosting healthcare cooperation        Egypt's EHA, Schneider Electric sign MoU on sustainable infrastructure    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Grand Egyptian Museum opening delayed to Q4    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Egypt discovers three New Kingdom tombs in Luxor's Dra' Abu El-Naga    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Report suggests Saudi Arabia will not send women to London Olympics
Published in Bikya Masr on 10 - 07 - 2012

DUBAI: A new report published by the pan-Arabic daily al-Sharq al-Awsat has revealed that no women will be part of the Saudi Arabia Olympic team in London later this month.
The article said that “no female team taking part in the three fields” had participated in qualification in the ultra-conservative country.
The report quoted an unnamed Saudi official. It is unclear if women were even permitted to participate in the qualification events.
In late June, the country reportedly had given the go-ahead for female athletes to take part in the London Olympics 2012, the country's embassy in London said in what was viewed as a “monumental” statement.
International rights groups had demanded Saudi be barred from the Games if they refused to allow women athletes from participating.
The Saudi Olympic Committee will “oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify," the statement said.
But this week, it appears the committee did not follow through on their promise, with no women at the qualification events.
The issue of women in sport remains extremely sensitive in the ultra-conservative Gulf Kingdom, where women are not allowed to drive and authorities closed private gyms for women in 2009 and 2010.
Equestrian Dalma Malhas was likely to be the country's only female athlete to qualify for this summer's Games in London which get underway on July 27.
Malhas, born in the United States, won a bronze medal at the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympics without having been nominated by her country, following an invitation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) Executive Director Ken Roth had issued a call this month for Saudi Arabian women to be allowed to participated in next month's London Olympics by the ultra-conservative Gulf Kingdom.
“The Olympics launch in a month and Saudi Arabia stands alone in the world banning women from sport," the message on Thunderclap began. “By refusing to allow women on their national team, Saudi Arabia violates the Olympic Charter. London 2012: Don't let Saudi Arabia play unless their women can!"
Roth, in his message to both the world and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said that Saudi women have never before competed in the Olympics.
“Saudi Arabia's discriminatory policies against women and girls in sport clearly violate the Olympic Charter," he continued.
That Olympic Charter states specifically that “the practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind. [Any] form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement."
Roth's HRW have been stalwarts in pushing for the Saudi government to allow women to participate in the global games, and while the IOC said last month it was optimistic over women being included, Saudi women remain on the outside looking in.
Roth added that “Saudi Arabia's participation in the London Games should be conditioned on its playing by the rules," which clearly states that a country that does have women on their team will be barred from participating.
The IOC Women's Chair Anita DeFrantz warned the country in 2010 that if female athletes are not allowed to participate, the country could face being banned from the global competition.
Once again, the issue of female athletes in Saudi is in limbo.


Clic here to read the story from its source.