Al Taawoun seals AFC Champions League Two knockout spot with 2-1 win over Al Khaldiya    Al-Jasser: Riyadh Metro to accommodate one million passengers daily    Al-Jasser: 122,000 jobs generated in transport sector in a year    Riyadh Metro to begin phased operations from December 1    Israelis survey damage and mull return to north as ceasefire begins    Israel to appeal against ICC warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant    Trump nominates Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia    Missing hiker found alive after more than five weeks in wilderness    Elon Musk publicizes names of government employees he wants to cut    Saudi Arabia participates in OIC anti-corruption agencies' meeting in Qatar    Al Rajhi: Saudi Arabia sets revised unemployment target of 5% by 2030 "300,000 citizens employed in qualitative professions"    Al Hilal advances to AFC Champions League knockout stage despite 1-1 draw with Al Sadd    Saudi Arabia unveils updates on Expo 2030 Riyadh master plan at 175th BIE General Assembly Riyadh Expo Development Company established to oversee strategic planning, operations, and legacy development    Saudi FM attends Quadripartite meeting on Sudan in Italy    Best-selling novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford dies    Cristiano Ronaldo's double powers Al Nassr to 3-1 win over Al Gharafa in AFC Champions League    Most decorated Australian Olympian McKeon retires    Adele doesn't know when she'll perform again after tearful Vegas goodbye    'Pregnant' for 15 months: Inside the 'miracle' pregnancy scam    Do cigarettes belong in a museum?    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Let women take part in Olympics
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 04 - 05 - 2012

Riyadh newspaperIN the age of globalization, we cannot but be part of the world. We should be global citizens who share feelings of joy and sorrow and show sportsmanship by competing in sporting events. And we need to realize that we cannot impose our traditions and customs on the world.
This is the theme which the negotiations between Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the General Presidency for Youth Welfare are revolving around. The IOC is insisting that the Kingdom send a women's team to compete in the London 2012 Olympics and wants a quick reply from the General Presidency, which the latter is not prepared to do.
Since it was founded, the Presidency has been concerned with the welfare of young men but has ignored women so the least it could do is not object to Saudi women participating in the Olympic Games even if it does not approve of their participation. The only countries that have never sent women athletes to the Olympics are Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei. Qatar, which wants to stage the 2020 Games, has announced that it will dispatch 3 athletes and Brunei will send one too. In our case, we have plenty of viable candidates both in the Kingdom and outside who have voiced their desire to participate.
Our non-participation makes us the odd one out. We need to change how we view sports especially considering we are a country that has high levels of obesity and other problems caused by lack of exercise. After suffering from an illness and being bedridden for months, I have personally experienced the harm a lack of exercise can cause to the body. After all, he was indeed right, the one who said “Teach your children swimming, archery and horse-riding.” __


Clic here to read the story from its source.