Saudi Arabia wants to hold an all-male Olympic Games
IOC denies proposed joint bid with Bahrain, says country should commit to non-discrimination
The first time Saudi Arabia sent two female athletes – who were accompanied by male guardians and also participated with their hair covered -- to the Olympic Games was in 2012, in London. PHOTO: REUTERS
Saudi Arabia on Thursday expressed its desire to hold an all-male Olympic Games, The Telegraph reported.
A consultant for the Saudi Olympic Committee on Thursday said that the Saudi society “can be very conservative. It has a hard time accepting that women can compete in sports.”
Prince Fahad bin Jalawi al Saud, the consultant to the Saudi Olympic Committee, in his comments suggested that the oil-rich country could jointly bid with Bahrain – which could then be a host to women’s events.
“Wearing sports clothing in public is not really allowed. For these cultural reasons, it is difficult to bid for certain big international events," the Prince said.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), in its recommendations for reform last year, had allowed for joint bids in 2020. However, Saudi Arabia’s suggestion was not permitted.
In a statement released by the IOC president, Thomas Bach, it said the oil-rich country would only be allowed to bid if it followed the rules barring discrimination.
"A commitment to 'non-discrimination' will be mandatory for all countries hoping to bid for the Olympics in the future," the IOC president said.
"This was made very clear in the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms and will even be in the host city contract,” he added.
Bach said the bid would not be admissible if this was not applied, and that Saudi Arabia, and countries like it, should work on permitting female athletes to participate freely.
"You cannot simply 'outsource' certain issues to another territory," he added.
The first time Saudi Arabia sent two female athletes – who were accompanied by male guardians and also participated with their hair covered -- to the Olympic Games was in 2012, in London – due to pressure from the IOC.
However, these athletes were then called out as ‘prostitutes’ by conservatives on social media.
Further, in last year’s Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, the country only sent an all-male team. And in December 2014, a woman masquerading as a man at a football game was arrested.
Women in Saudi Arabia are banned from going to sports events, and sports is absent from girls’ curriculum in school.
A consultant for the Saudi Olympic Committee on Thursday said that the Saudi society “can be very conservative. It has a hard time accepting that women can compete in sports.”
Prince Fahad bin Jalawi al Saud, the consultant to the Saudi Olympic Committee, in his comments suggested that the oil-rich country could jointly bid with Bahrain – which could then be a host to women’s events.
“Wearing sports clothing in public is not really allowed. For these cultural reasons, it is difficult to bid for certain big international events," the Prince said.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), in its recommendations for reform last year, had allowed for joint bids in 2020. However, Saudi Arabia’s suggestion was not permitted.
In a statement released by the IOC president, Thomas Bach, it said the oil-rich country would only be allowed to bid if it followed the rules barring discrimination.
"A commitment to 'non-discrimination' will be mandatory for all countries hoping to bid for the Olympics in the future," the IOC president said.
"This was made very clear in the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms and will even be in the host city contract,” he added.
Bach said the bid would not be admissible if this was not applied, and that Saudi Arabia, and countries like it, should work on permitting female athletes to participate freely.
"You cannot simply 'outsource' certain issues to another territory," he added.
The first time Saudi Arabia sent two female athletes – who were accompanied by male guardians and also participated with their hair covered -- to the Olympic Games was in 2012, in London – due to pressure from the IOC.
However, these athletes were then called out as ‘prostitutes’ by conservatives on social media.
Further, in last year’s Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, the country only sent an all-male team. And in December 2014, a woman masquerading as a man at a football game was arrested.
Women in Saudi Arabia are banned from going to sports events, and sports is absent from girls’ curriculum in school.