Health and wellness are slowing gaining more attention among women in Saudi Arabia today. Saudi women sports advocates met with Princess Reema Bint Bandar Bin Sultan, undersecretary for the female section at the General Authority for Sports, to discuss the future of sports for women in Saudi Arabia. Yoga and sports for the disabled were also discussed at length. Princess Reema outlined the rules governing various sports and assured the sports enthusiasts of serious government support to encourage various sports and promote healthy living. Nouf Al-Marwaai, the Honorary Secretary of the International Yoga Federation for Saudi Arabia and Arab Countries, and President of the Arab Yoga Foundation and an International Yoga Advisor for the Asian Yoga Federation since 2010, spoke about the need to support yoga, which has many benefits for the mind and body. Unfortunately, some in Saudi society perceived yoga to be a ritual of other faiths and not many are aware of the philosophy and therapy of yoga and its remedial benefits. The health and wellness consultant urged the need for government support to promote yoga, which has now become very popular among Saudi women of all ages. Al-Marwaai, a clinical psychologist and a leading expert in yoga techniques and exercises, said that she has taught yoga to some 8,000 students since 2005 and certified more than 150 yoga teachers since 2009, an obvious sign that there is great interest and demand for the practice. She added that the educational and training courses provided by the Arab Yoga Foundation match the best international standards of holistic healthcare education and Indian yogic sciences. Al-Marwaai today manages support groups for people with autoimmune diseases and breast cancer and is the founder of the Arab Yoga Foundation. She struggled as a child with lupus and cancer and was able to find her cure in yoga. In India, she studied the management and diagnosis of disease through yoga and Ayurveda. After that she did higher studies in yoga therapy and medical approach, yoga psychotherapy research and higher academic studies in the field. The highly qualified yoga consultant urges the need for government support and awareness campaigns to promote yoga and healthy lifestyles. Princess Reema also heard from Faizah Natto, president of the Society for the Visually and Auditory Impaired, who talked about the campaign to involve disabled people with the wider community. She said society is keen to introduce sports facilities to create a healthy environment for the hearing impaired and has organized sports events to encourage people with disabilities to participate in sports activities. According to scientific research conducted on the importance of sports for the disabled, sports activities can be the best ways for disabled people to overcome some of their problems. However, the lack of interest and negative attitudes toward sports among disabled people discourage the introduction of sports activities for them in the Kingdom. According to research conducted by the Saudi Ministry of Economy and Planning, physical inactivity has emerged as a major health risk that is very common among adolescents with disabilities and this problem might lead to other health problems such as obesity which progressively develops as children or teenagers become adults. Also, there are limited numbers of tournaments for handicapped people, and only a small proportion of the disabled community participate in these events. In addition, due to the lack of trainers and physical education teachers, most of the disabled are not given appropriate rehabilitation. Another reason why the disabled do not participate in sports activities is the lack of the necessary equipment and appropriate facilities. However, there has not been enough research conducted to look at recreational sports activities targeting this group specifically. What is needed is more government attention to the needs of people with disabilities, to identify their problems, to plan preventive programs, to provide proper training, therapeutic care, rehabilitation and the necessary services in all fields related to disabilities. Nouf Al-Marwaai and Faizah Natto, two highly qualified women in the field of sports, presented a bright image of the contemporary Saudi woman who can serve society with professionalism and according to international standards. Their passionate presentations were a clear indication that women can be engines for change and can be effective contributors in the implementation of Saudi Vision 2030. The leading position of Princess Reema also presents a new image of young women in leadership positions who are determined to implement significant reforms to realize the transformation of Saudi Arabia. Samar Fatany is a radio broadcaster and writer. She can be reached at [email protected]
