Women's sport in Saudi Arabia

Women's sport in Saudi Arabia has been a controversial topic for many years due to the suppression of female participation in sport by conservative Islamic religious authorities.[1]

In 2013 Saudi Arabia’s first dedicated sports centre for girls was opened in Khobar, offering training programs that include physical fitness, karate, yoga and weight loss as well as special activities for children.[2] That year it was also announced that Saudi Arabian girls are officially allowed to practice sports in private schools, which they had not officially been allowed to do previously, though some had done so unofficially.[3] Sports activities are prohibited in public schools for girls.[4]

Olympic and Paralympic games

The Saudi 2012 Summer Olympics team included female athletes for the first time ever,[5] and they also sent women athletes again in 2016.[4] but the Paralympic team has not yet included any women.[6]

2012 Summer Olympics in London

Saudi Arabia sending women to compete in the Olympics in 2012 was listed at number two on Cambridge News top nine milestones for women in sports.[7] Sarah Attar participated in women's track finishing last in the competition, while Wojdan Shaherkani was defeated in her Judo competition in under two minutes. Despite the losses, being the first women to represent their country in the Olympics is considered an overall success for the participants, and Attar received a standing ovation as she pursued the finish line from the audience in London. However, coverage of the female participants was absent in the Saudi media.[8]

Football

The nonexistence of a women's national football team is a perennial issue between FIFA and the Saudi Arabia Football Federation. FIFA changed their rules in 2012 to allow players to wear a hijab during FIFA sanctioned matches, but Saudi authorities declined to comment.[9]

Basketball

In Jeddah in 2003 the first women’s basketball team in Saudi Arabia was formed by Lina Al-Maeena,[10] co-founder of the Jeddah United Sporting Company; the first sports organization that sought to include the development of women athletes in 2006.[11] Jeddah United provides an environment where male and female, children and adult, can participate in sporting activities. Their goal is to embrace all Saudis to partake in physical activity through sports all around the country. As of December 2013 the number of members enrolled was above 500. Jeddah United has also played a role in establishing similar organizations in Khobar (Khobar United) and in the capital city Riyadh (Riyadh United).[10] Their long term goal is to produce top class athletes that can compete on a professional level throughout the country, and on the world stage.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Saudi women push for right to play sports - Sport". ArabianBusiness.com. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  2. ↑ "Saudi Arabia opens first sports centre for women". GulfNews.com. 2013-06-03. Retrieved 2013-06-28.
  3. ↑ "Saudi government sanctions sports in some girls' schools". CNN.com. Retrieved 2013-06-28.
  4. 1 2 "Saudi Arabia: No women on Asian Games Team". Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch.
  5. ↑ Magnay, Jacquelin. "London 2012 Olympics: Saudi Arabia will send women to Games for the first time". Telegraph. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  6. ↑ Reuters (2012-06-28). "Olympics-Winning matters for Saudi Paralympics coach - Chicago Tribune". Articles.chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  7. ↑ "Nine milestones for women in sport". Cambridge News. Cambridge News. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  8. ↑ "Saudi female athletes: Heroes in London, 'prostitutes of the Olympics' at home". RT.com. RT. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  9. ↑ Reuters / AFP (2012-04-30). "FIFA lifts ban on hijab for women footballers – The Express Tribune". Tribune.com.pk. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  10. 1 2 Kotb, Mayar. "Jeddah United: A window to how Saudi society is changing". yourmiddleeast.com. Your Middle East. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Cultural Diversity – Sports for Women in Saudi Society - Lina Al-Maeena". UNESCO.
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