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London 2012 Olympics: Saudi Arabian women to compete

kaya'08

kaya'08

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Saudi Arabia is to send two female athletes to complete in the London 2012 Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said. Speaking from her training base in the US, Sarah Attar said: "It's such a huge honour and I hope that it can really make some big strides for women over there to get more involved in sport."
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Sarah Attar will compete in the 800m and Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani in the judo competition.

The Saudi authorities lifted a ban on women from the Gulf kingdom competing in the Games last month. The public participation of women in sport is still fiercely opposed by many Saudi religious conservatives.

BBC News - London 2012 Olympics: Saudi Arabian women to compete
 
kaya'08 said:
Sarah Attar will compete in the 800m and Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani in the judo competition.

The Saudi authorities lifted a ban on women from the Gulf kingdom competing in the Games last month. The public participation of women in sport is still fiercely opposed by many Saudi religious conservatives.

BBC News - London 2012 Olympics: Saudi Arabian women to compete
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Well, good for them for hanging in there and sticking it out. I think I will cheer for them when they compete.
 
I'm not going to pay much attention to the Olympics, but this is great news.
 
So long as they don't compete in the sprint events cuz there will be wind resistance on their head gear and will end up last position.
 
RDS said:
So long as they don't compete in the sprint events cuz there will be wind resistance on their head gear and will end up last position.
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Not unless the wind is blowing from behind them, that way it works almost like a sail, and end up in first position.
 
kaya'08 said:
Not unless the wind is blowing from behind them, that way it works almost like a sail, and end up in first position.
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They will be disqualified for sure.
 
I'm pleased for these two women, although it's only a token bone tossed into the jaws of world opinion. The women still have to be covered head to toe, and must be accompanied by a male chaperon at all times.

Lifting the ban on women competing in the Olympics does not effectively change the lives of women in Saudi Arabia. It is nonetheless a powerful symbolic victory for many... and a call to war for others.
 
Change sometimes comes like water dripping from a broken tap.

Saudi Arabia has a long way to go in terms of rights for woman and human rights in general.

A step in the right direction to be sure.
 
DiAnna said:
I'm pleased for these two women, although it's only a token bone tossed into the jaws of world opinion. The women still have to be covered head to toe, and must be accompanied by a male chaperon at all times.

Lifting the ban on women competing in the Olympics does not effectively change the lives of women in Saudi Arabia. It is nonetheless a powerful symbolic victory for many... and a call to war for others.
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If that's all I can get, I'll take it for now. Sometimes symbols have great power. Rosa Parks comes to mind.
 
The consensus on the Olympics issue (and its been going on for years) essentially comes down to two camps. Those who believe the al-Saud are doing this as a high profile way to deliver an internal message to their clerical establishment and conservative populace that this is the way the wind is blowing, and it may not happen now, or next year, but women will play a larger more open role in Saudi society. Essentially a "You have been notified" sort of thing. The other is that this a move designed to throw a bone to the emaciated but vocal liberals in the Kingdom, and to make some Western newspapers happy. It's hard to decide which tbqh, and it might be a bit of both. The problem is its fantastically unclear who's making real executive decisions on this stuff so motive is tremendously difficult to decipher.
 
Sherman123 said:
The consensus on the Olympics issue (and its been going on for years) essentially comes down to two camps. Those who believe the al-Saud are doing this as a high profile way to deliver an internal message to their clerical establishment and conservative populace that this is the way the wind is blowing, and it may not happen now, or next year, but women will play a larger more open role in Saudi society. Essentially a "You have been notified" sort of thing. The other is that this a move designed to throw a bone to the emaciated but vocal liberals in the Kingdom, and to make some Western newspapers happy. It's hard to decide which tbqh, and it might be a bit of both. The problem is its fantastically unclear who's making real executive decisions on this stuff so motive is tremendously difficult to decipher.
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In any event, a complete turnaround would strike me as more like "throwing a bone." This more cautious approach strikes as (hopefully) real change occurring. No way would I expect these women in a Flo-Jo outfit. I'm just glad they're attending at all.
 
RDS said:
So long as they don't compete in the sprint events cuz there will be wind resistance on their head gear and will end up last position.
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I was hoping to see the Saudi beach volleyball team
 
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