You are here: Home » Human Rights » Saudi Arabia says no to women Olympians

Saudi Arabia says no to women Olympians

Joseph Mayton | 17 February 2012 | Comments (24)

Malhas competing in Singapore.

CAIRO: Less than three months after Saudi Arabia said it would permit women to participate in the London 2012 Olympic Games, it has reportedly reneged on their agreement, barring women from entering the Games.

The move will also threaten the country’s overall participation in the Olympics, with the International Olympic Committee saying that all countries must field female athletes as part of their teams.

The decision has been roundly criticized by human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), which said in a press release that the move is counter to the Olympic Charter, which says, “The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit.”

HRW said it shouldn’t be too surprising, however, as state-run schools offer no physical education for girls and only men belong to sports clubs in the country.

“In fact, government restrictions on women essentially bar them from sports,” a new report says, HRW reported.

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.

Dalma Rushdi Malhas, an 18-year-old Saudi woman, was the likely choice for the competition. She won a bronze medal at the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympics and has the ability to compete at the highest level.

The OIC required each country to field at least one woman in the Youth Olympics and Saudi Arabia included Malhas in its delegation.

In response to comments by the International Olympic Committee, last year Saudi Arabia said it would not oppose participation by a Saudi woman in the London Olympics – but that it would not invite her as part of its official team.

“Human Rights Watch urges the International Olympic Committee to uphold the values of the Olympic Charter and condition Saudi Arabia’s participation in the London 2012 Olympics on the country taking steps to end discrimination against women in sports,” HRW said in their statement.

ShortURL: http://goo.gl/KgsHs

Tags: featured, HRW, IOC, London, Olympics

Section: Human Rights, Latest News, Saudi Arabia, Sport, Women

Mary

Well, if a woman leaves the house and a man sees her, he may rape her and then she would be stoned to death. If a woman has the freedom to drive, many more men will see her and they may rape her and then she would be stoned to death. If a woman’s hair escapes the headscarf, a man may see her hair and rape her and then she would be stoned to death. If a woman wears pants, a man may see her form and rape her and then she would be stoned to death. If a woman wears gymnastics clothes and runs or dances or lifts her hands in front of an audience of men, a man in the audience may rape her and she would be stoned to death. No, Muslim men need to “protect” women so they are not stoned to death for causing a Muslim “man” to rape her.
Pingback: Saudi Arabia maintains its ban on women in Olympics | ISRAEL TRIBUNE
Pingback: Saudi Arabia maintains its ban on women in Olympics - ScrollPost.com
Pingback: Saudi Arabia maintains its ban on women in Olympics « Blogs about Israel aggregation
Rajpro

So disgusting and revolting, can’t see an iota of logic, good faith and common sense in this decision to ban the Muslim women of Saudi from this competition. so sad that this mentality still exists , what a pity for these women. No words to express this more than barbarous, awkward and silly decision
Rajesh menon

Well this proves there are electrons ,protons and morons
David, Thailand

Easy solution…Saudi buys the Olympics.
Oaklander

Saudi Arabia. . . A country that keeps shooting itself in the foot. A country which comes across to those on the outside as being a bit schizo. Run by the liberal elite, Saudi Arabia employs a rigid religious front of the most backwards type to protect it’s own power structure. A country that chooses to to publicly announce the most wacky religious rulings while it’s ‘princes’ & ‘princesses’ runs amok around the world. Why pretend to be Muslim? They are the worst of the worst, the hypocrites. I have no respect for them.
Pingback: Saudi Arabien riskerar att bli portade från OS | Pettersson – försöker göra skillnad
Henin

Let’s not get crazy! Seventh century don’t want no women goin’ to no Olympics
The Infidel

And the olympic commity caves in 3….2…..1….
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003258807249 Randy Davis

And Saudi claims to support women’s rights. Ha, laughable at best. They persecute women worse than some of the other ass-backwards Islamic stink tanks.
Anonymous

Saudi Arabia is a toilet full of turds that has not been flushed in years.
JoelB

Why am I not surprised? The Saudi’s are still mired in the 14th century…..

Hening

Try the 7th….14th would be like furture-rama, sci-fi mind blast for these people.

Lauren

if muslims respected women, as they claim, then they wouldn’t stop female athletes from going to the Olympics

http://www.aatkco.com aatkco

You can’t Judge all Muslims from the view of only one country, A lot of Egyptian females participated in the last round, So don’t post that crap again.

Rastus

Then lets talk about Iran, Iraq, Syria,and the way they treat their women.
Shayne Zucker

Bet that will Change this time around (in Egypt).
Anonymous

Really! Lets see Egypt put together a team this year. It’s not going to happen because they decided to step farther back into the dark ages. And yes anyone can judge most Muslims by this because this is the attitude of most Muslims. Ignorant, backwards and pathetic. Any group that goes along listening to leaders they can’t elect and are too afraid to stand up for what is right deserve all the scorn that comes their way. And you know this to be true. You are more pissed that some of us have the ability to say it to your face and stand up to members of the child rapists religion.
Lauren

i’ll post what i want, whether you think it’s crap or not. anyway, in egypt, the women may have gone to the olympics, but egyptian women can’t go outside without being sexually harassed by men, even if they wear the hijab. how’s that for respect?
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6GTXISZGOIS7X2FFVKDTOGNFPU Anony Mous

not any more
nice al taqiya, tool
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6GTXISZGOIS7X2FFVKDTOGNFPU Anony Mous

not any more