RIYADH — IOC President Thomas Bach offered his support Wednesday for increasing the participation of female athletes from Saudi Arabia in the Olympics. Bach held talks in Riyadh with Prince Nawaf Bin Faisal Bin Fahd, President of Youth Welfare. The International Olympic Committee said the two discussed a strategy for sports development in the Kingdom through 2020. “President Bach promised full support for the plan, which also included proposals to increase women's participation in the Olympic Games and in sport in general,” the IOC said in a statement. After prolonged negotiations with the IOC, Saudi Arabia sent women to the Olympics for the first time in 2012, with two female athletes competing at the London Games. Wojdan Shaherkani competed in judo and Sarah Attar in 800-meter race. Dalma Rushdi Malhas competed at the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympics and won a bronze medal in equestrian. In an interview with Saudi Gazette after her Olympics participation, Attar said she realized how impactful, important, positive and influential her participation was for her country. Although she had never envisioned being part of the Olympics, she said it was a huge part of her life and will remain to be so. “It was impactful and an amazing experience. It was more empowering to be an influence on people than to focus on what was happening.” Saudi Arabia hopes to increase women's participation at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro by introducing better training, particularly at the university level, the IOC said. The IOC said Bach offered to work with international sports federations to draft a program for greater Saudi participation and help raise awareness of Olympic sports in the Kingdom. – Agencies
