[b]"RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will enter women athletes in the Olympics for the first time ever in London this summer, the Islamic kingdom's London embassy said on Sunday.

Human rights groups had called on the International Olympic Committee to bar Saudi Arabia from competing in London, citing its failure ever to send a woman athlete to a Games and its ban on sports in girls' state schools.

Powerful Muslim clerics in the ultra-conservative state have repeatedly spoken out against the participation of girls and women in sports.
In Saudi Arabia women hold a lower legal status to men, are banned from driving and need a male guardian's permission to work, travel or open a bank account.

Under King Abdullah, however, the government has pushed for them to have better education and work opportunities and allowed them to vote in future municipal elections, the only public polls held in the kingdom.

"The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is looking forward to its complete participation in the London 2012 Olympic Games through the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee, which will oversee the participation of women athletes who can qualify for the games," said a statement published on the embassy website.

In April the head of the kingdom's General Presidency of Youth Welfare, the body that regulates sports in Saudi Arabia, said it would not prevent women from competing but that they would not have official government endorsement.

The IOC said on Monday that talks with the Saudis were "ongoing" and that "we are working to ensure the participation of Saudi women at the Games in London."
The head of the kingdom's Olympic mission, Khalid al-Dakheel, told Reuters on Sunday evening however he was unaware of any developments allowing women to participate.

Top Saudi clerics, who hold government positions and have always constituted an important support base for the ruling al-Saud royal family, have spoken against female participation in sports.

In 2009 a senior cleric said girls risked losing their virginity by tearing their hymens if they took part in energetic sport.

Perhaps the most likely woman candidate to compete under the Saudi flag in London, equestrian Dalma Malhas, represented the kingdom at the junior Olympics in Singapore in 2010, but without official support or recognition.

Physical education is banned in girls' state schools in the kingdom, but Saudi Arabia's only female deputy minister, Noura al-Fayez, has written to Human Rights Watch saying there is a plan to introduce it."[/b]
http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-arabia-enter-women-london-olympics-100953392--oly.html

are these women from saudi, or just representing saudi.

did they shave their eyebrows or something.


front row, right, is the only one with the typical saudi features.

second row, far left, looks white, or european.

tpia@:
are these women from saudi, or just representing saudi.

did they shave their eyebrows or something.


front row, right, is the only one with the typical saudi features.

second row, far left, looks white, or european.

that I don't know, I would suspect they are Saudi though but you never know though because I saw another picture and it showed some females that don't have the traditional saudi features:

some of the women from the first picture might be saudi, i guess.

Saudi Arabia will enter women. . .

Hehehehe. . . that sounds so dirty!!


@ Topic
There is hope yet!!

no comment, sometimes i just wonder why women were created just to cover their body in this manner, so na only men that have feelings

This is seriouse oh!things r indid changing.suadi is nt in exception

Wow!

Sisi_Kill: Saudi Arabia will enter women. . .

Hehehehe. . . that sounds so dirty!!


@ Topic
There is hope yet!!

_
lol. I thought I was the only one that noticed. I saw it and was like missionary position or reverse cowgirl?

So they are now waking up from slumber and oldieeeee, thats not a news one day they will abandon Islam

This is not Islamic, they are suppose to cover their faces (Purdah) to look pure Islamic, wayward religion

In 2009 a senior cleric said girls risked losing their virginity by tearing their hymens if they took part in energetic sport.

So this is all they care for, fools.

On another note, do you know that just one glass of water can power Lagos for 1 year? https://www.nairaland.com/973294/theres-enough-energy-glass-water

Sisi_Kill: Saudi Arabia will enter women. . .

Hehehehe. . . that sounds so dirty!!


@ Topic
There is hope yet!!

main reason why i clicked, thought the front page moderator twisted the OP's title

shocking i tell ya!

moderator oya flog yourself!!

U better go back to where u belong if u there join u ll never win forever stop immitating d west they r made to expose their body pls remain reserved n earn ur usual respect frm d pple pushing may Allah destroy this negetive underdevelopment in holy land amin

Just watched it on the news.
See Saudi advancing. Great development.

tpia@:
are these women from saudi, or just representing saudi.

did they shave their eyebrows or something.


front row, right, is the only one with the typical saudi features.

second row, far left, looks white, or european.

They are Saudi citizens, from the TV report there were a few of them whose hair were not covered, I guess those were Christians.

hussyhassy: U better go back to where u belong if u there join u ll never win forever stop immitating d west they r made to expose their body pls remain reserved n earn ur usual respect frm d pple pushing may Allah destroy this negetive underdevelopment in holy land amin

^^^ show jumpers are all covered up, no exposure needed, in fact i think they can enter women into many sports that doesnt include showing flesh

kayaking

archery

etc

hussyhassy: U better go back to where u belong if u there join u ll never win forever stop immitating d west they r made to expose their body pls remain reserved n earn ur usual respect frm d pple pushing may Allah destroy this negetive underdevelopment in holy land amin

I was actually expecting something like this.
Here's a suggestion: You can take this matter up at the next boko haram parliamentary session. Just push forward the motion 'To teach these Saudis a thing or two about Islam!'

This appears not be finalized if the head of their olympic commission is still saying this:

The head of the kingdom's Olympic mission, Khalid al-Dakheel, told Reuters on Sunday evening however he was unaware of any developments allowing women to participate

why the conflicting statements from different arms of the Saudi govt?

Anyways, this is cool, a welcome development for the women of SA if it happens but . . .
for anyone who plays sports, how are you supposed to play wearing those as uniforms? unless those fabrics are next generation super breathable, me I would faint from heat exhaustion if I wore those to play contact sports like bball or soccer lol.

those might be the training/warm up outfits

Na-Me:
Just watched it on the news.


They are Saudi citizens, from the TV report there were a few of them whose hair were not covered, I guess those were Christians.

would christians be allowed to represent saudi?

i doubt there are saudis who identify as christians. Havent heard of any so far, unless they're immigrants perhaps?

Islam is mean to women.......

Billyonaire: Islam is mean to women.......

Dis Guy: those might be the training/warm up outfits

Might be. But they're not allowed to show skin abi? or wear tight-fitting clothes, unless I'm mistaken...

Billyonaire: Islam is mean to women.......

islam is supportive to women

[quote author=Lovine]This is not Islamic, they are suppose to cover their faces (Purdah) to look pure Islamic, wayward religion[/quote

u hav no respect for others ppl religion abi, mtwssss, u are a waste of sperm

surely this is haram

hope security is tight

hussyhassy: U better go back to where u belong if u there join u ll never win forever stop immitating d west they r made to expose their body pls remain reserved n earn ur usual respect frm d pple pushing may Allah destroy this negetive underdevelopment in holy land amin

hey wat wrong wit women takin part in sport, as far as dey are xposin their body, its ok, geddit

Lovine: So they are now waking up from slumber and oldieeeee, thats not a news one day they will abandon Islam

keep dreamin, islam will remain and even prosper and u will come and go, better wake up from ur slumber

Why will islam make the women suffer for the uncontrolable sexual appetite of their men ? Why don't they make the men wear a blindfold so they'll not be able to see the women and fall into temptation.

Billyonaire: Islam is mean to women.......

Would it hurt to research before criticizing?
*The things people say out of ignorance though.*