http://www.middleeasttransparent.com…e=4226&lang=en
Wednesday 30 July 2008
By Farah al-SweelSaudi Women Athletes who will not be allowed to participate in the 2008 Olympics due to lack of female rights under Shariah Laws.Rashed al-Heraiwel, head of the Saudi delegation, confirmed no women would be in the lineup, apparently due to opposition by powerful clerics to women’s participation in sport.
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A strict Islamic state, Saudi Arabia is one of the only countries to keep women out of international sports events, despite efforts in recent years to change the situation.
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Three years ago, the Ministry of Education — where religious conservatives hold sway — rejected proposals to introduce physical education for girls in the school system.
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Neighboring conservative Gulf Arab states have followed the path taken by many Muslim sportswomen such as Bahrain athlete Ruqaya Al-Ghasara who races in a full body-suit and headscarf.
