London 2012 Olympics: Saudis allow women to compete

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

24 June 2012 Last updated at 17:00 GMT

By Frank Gardner
BBC News

Saudi Arabia is to allow its women athletes to compete in the Olympics for the first time.

A statement from the Saudi Embassy in London says the country's Olympic Committee will "oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify".

The decision will end recent speculation as to whether the entire Saudi team could have been disqualified on grounds of gender discrimination.

The public participation of women in sport is still fiercely opposed by many Saudi religious conservatives.

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Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18571193

[MADem]

1. Ever seen Islamic women's swim wear?

The only women currently "Olympic - Ready" will be too immodestly dressed to show her on TV!!!!

Saudi officials say that with the Games now just a few weeks away, the only female competitor at Olympic standard is showjumper Dalma Rushdi Malhas.

But they added that there may be scope for others to compete and that if successful they would be dressed "to preserve their dignity".

In practice this is likely to mean modest, loose-fitting garments and "a sports hijab", a scarf covering the hair but not the face.

[Scairp]

4. Christ

How the fuck do you swim in loose-fitting garments and a sports hijab? Or participate in gymnastics? Or track and field? My guess is they won't be.

[MADem]

6. It is made of the same material as men's swimsuits, pretty much.

It's constructed so that it does not "cling" and includes a Sea Hunt type head covering! They range from very modest to "risque"--at least for "sharia swimwear."

[treestar]

27. Wow. Hardly seems like a swim would even cool one down that much

With that on and wet it must be difficult to take off.

[MADem]

28. The material looks kind of space age--I think it dries quickly.

I was in a "resort locale" recently and a gaggle of young ladies in full "gear" (to include the little superhero hats) came to the bar to enjoy a refreshing fruit drink wearing those get-ups. They'd been in the pool earlier and the stuff they had on was already dry.

The outfits they had on were more loosely fitted than not--I don't know how they make them, but the ladies retained their "modesty" even though they were overdressed compared to the rest of the patrons in the establishment, who were half naked by comparison.

[4th law of robotics]

29. Seems like that would have a lot of drag

[Jimbo S]

9. Full body Spandex

A Muslim woman competed in a couple of sprint events in Bejing wearing it. Didn't slow her down, it was aerodynamic. Not unsimilar to what some American men and women wore in the 80's.

[MADem]

12. Those full body suits that help reduce drag are not "Islamic" though.

I don't think they will enter any swimmers, but if they did, coming from Saudi (not other countries, necessarily, but Saudi) they'd have to be wearing a conservative version of the clothing depicted above. The ones with the skirt almost to the knee would probably be about as relaxed as they'd be allowed to go. The very tight ones are a non-starter, too.

[Freddie Stubbs]

23. How? Not very well

[tclambert]

16. Have you seen what female runners wear these days?

Especially sprinters. Carmelita Jeter's track suit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmelita_Jeter) is little more than a bikini. Apparently a few extra grams of fabric can cost a thousandth of a second.

[MADem]

17. I wonder why the males don't shed their excess fabric, too? Is it a conspiracy or a uniform rule?

You'd think they'd do anything to get a bit of advantage, to the point of pasting their numbers to their chests and running down the track with a handkerchief and a few pieces of dental floss to rein in the wobbly business!

[mathematic]

22. It's not about the weight of the garment, it's about freedom of motion and comfort

Back in high school the girls called these "butt huggers" as the analog to the boy's extremely short shorts (like 1.5" or 2" inseam) affectionately called "nut huggers".

As freshmen we were all fairly self-conscious about these but after some running experience and the disastrous mid-thigh shorts we had sophomore year it was nearly unanimous in favor of the short shorts when we were given the choice junior year.

So basically the answer is males do shed all their excess fabric too. It's just that you need more fabric to keep down the rustling so no briefs for the men.

Incidentally, the official olympic track uniforms are full body suits for the sprinters. It's supposed to provide some sort of advantage but I think it just looks dumb. The usual uniform for male sprinters in the US is something like a wrestling singlet. One piece, skin tight, and not for the modest.

[MADem]

24. Speedos for everyone! That'll make it interesting!

It never fails to amuse on European beaches....

[treestar]

21. Yes, there are few sports they can compete in

with their dress limitations.

I'm even surprised a riding outfit is OK - it outlines the legs and the figure somewhat snugly.

[MADem]

25. I do not know how "OK" it will be for television--at least if those legs are visible, even clothed!

Perhaps from a distance it will fly, and for close-ups, head/shoulder views only...!

Of course, the whole hijab thing flies out the window the minute the plane takes off from Saudi. The women tear off the veils, roll 'em up and stick 'em in their carry-on. The procedure is reversed, sometimes with grumbles, on the way back.

[treestar]

26. That must be interesting to see

Thing is this athlete is representing the country, so the authorities might be hovering over her. But them must be letting her wear a riding habit for the competition, or else what's the point? I'm just amazed she got to do the sport!

[MADem]

31. You don't see a lot of women on TV, and when you do they're veiled. You'll see the face if they

are speaking, but that's about it.

More often, you hear conversations ABOUT women, like this "scientific" shit about "The Nature of Women" that "proves" why women can't walk and chew gum at the same time (do not watch if you have a quick temper);

If the horsewoman does compete and she wins, she'll be fussed over, but they probably will edit any film of her victory quite carefully. Can't have those naturally harlotty tendencies that women have riling up all the men-folk, doncha know...

for the irony-impaired.

People have differing attitudes about MEMRI, but this is right off the airwaves.

[treestar]

37. That's some crazy stuff there

Trying to justify a woman's testimony being worth less over pseudo-science.

[PavePusher]

38. And if she floats....

She's a Witch!

Seems about as valid, yes?

[MADem]

34. I know a ton of Saudi women who toss off the veils as soon as they hit altitude in the plane.

It's a game. They're all drinking pricey scotch the minute they're out of that country and living like any other obscenely rich person.

So long as no "disturbing" images are broadcast on KSA tee vee, it's all good.

[maindawg]

2. I used to have a sports habib too,

it saved my life more than once. It seems that the saudis are going forward while Americans are in reverse. In a related story , American female athletes are now required to be virgins !

[MADem]

7. What is a "sports HABIB?"

"Habib" means "loved one" (male) or "sweetheart." Surely you aren't talking about a gym romance?

[Scairp]

3. This is utter bullshit

It sounds like a fake-out a la the 1936 Olympics, when the IOC was snowed by Hitler after a threatened boycott by the U.S. and other western countries if they didn't allow Jews on the German Olympic team. They included one Jewish person and she never did compete. They included a couple of half-Jewish people and I believe they medaled. I don't know how the Saudis could include someone who is only half a woman. It sounds a great deal like this, but I hope not. Disqualifying them is an important step in telling them they cannot treat half of their entire population like second class citizens and have the rest of the world look away forever.

[IndyJones]

5. Interesting. I wonder if they will pull her before she competes or if she will get "sick" at the

last moment. Allowing only one woman to compete is not in the spirit of gender equality. That's ridiculous. They should be disqualified.

[muriel_volestrangler]

36. Didn't take long: apparently, her horse is injured

Saudi showjumper Dalma Rushdi Malhas to miss Olympics

Dalma Rushdi Malhas, who won bronze in the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010, was seen as the country's most likely representative. But her mother, Arwa Mutabagani, told the Guardian she would not be able to compete because her horse, Caramell KS, was injured.

"Unfortunately her horse got injured, and there is no chance of her getting to the Olympics this time," said Mutabagani, herself a former showjumper. "You have to have the combination. It would be like a Formula One driver going to the track without their car." Caramell was bought from Sweden for a substantial sum at the end of last year to help Malhas's Olympic bid, but an injury to its back was diagnosed six weeks ago and it will not have recovered in time for the Games.

It would, in any case, have been premature for the IOC to pitch Malhas into Olympic competition. As the Youth Olympic Games, in which she won her bronze, was a relatively underpowered event, she had not reached the qualifying standard, so the IOC would have had to give her a wildcard. Such a manoeuvre, convenient though it would have been in ending the standoff between the Saudi authorities and the IOC, would have proved controversial, with other countries asking why Saudi competitors should receive special treatment.

The equestrian world governing body, the FEI, confirmed that Malhas would not be competing. "However, we understand that the IOC has a number of other female athletes from Saudi Arabia in other sports who are currently under consideration," said its secretary general Ingmar De Vos.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/25/saudi-dalma-rushdi-malhas-showjumper-london-olympics

[MADem]

8. What are you talking about? The IOC isn't preventing any Saudi woman from competing.

The Saudi government is the entity making the decision.

Why would the IOC disqualify them? I don't understand your post about "half women" (???) and your "utter bullshit" comment.

A Saudi woman competing in the Olympics is a big step. The women are going to overtake the men eventually--they are the only ones getting college degrees over there!

[tclambert]

15. Half-woman? The East Germans used to do that all the time!

[JDPriestly]

10. This is good news. It is wonderful for women's health to be free

to participate in sports.

[JDPriestly]

11. I can't seem to connect to the article. What is meant by half a woman?

[MADem]

13. Nothing in the article about that.

The poster who threw out that phrase was talking about Hitler and "half Jewish" people participating in the Olympics when the Nazis hosted the games.

It doesn't apply to this situation, anyway.

[JDPriestly]

20. Thanks.

[4th law of robotics]

30. A half jewish person would be someone with one jewish parent and one not-jewish parent

So a half woman would be a person with one female parent and one non-female parent.

I could see how that might happen, under the right circumstances of course.

[PavePusher]

39. I see what you did there....

The sarcasm-impared will be along shortly.

[Left Coast2020]

14. I feel as though there may be a catch somewhere.

Knowing how strict the government is it may be just for show.
The women may not be competing in as many events as other nations do.
Just a thought on some possible "worldly" Saudi PR.

[MADem]

18. Well, the horsewoman has already competed in shows--she's not new to competition.

She just has never gotten to the "Olympic" stage, yet.

From the story, it sounds to me like the main issue for SA is that they don't have a huge surplus of women who are "Olympic ready" in terms of training/conditioning. This is a cultural byproduct--it's difficult for women to exercise and maintain the modesty demanded of the society.

[Posteritatis]

19. Baby steps.

Any women's rights advocates in Saudi Arabia are braver people than I could ever hope to be.

[MADem]

32. This is true. You've got to be prepared to take twenty lashes if you are a woman and "dare" to

commit the "crime" of driving a car.

[may3rd]

33. Meanwhile, in olympic rival Iran, prohibition remains a slam dunk

Iran to execute two for alcohol:

..
Iran is to execute two people caught drinking alcohol for a third time after judges upheld the Islamic republic's strict laws on liquor consumption,
....


Iranian police have also started taking measures against driving under the influence of alcohol, with offenders liable to a fine of two million rials (120 dollars), confiscation of their driving licence and criminal prosecution.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/iran-to-execute-two-for-alcohol-reports.aspx?pageID=238&nID=23965&NewsCatID=352


No GUINNESS world records allowed by their holy men either eh ?

[MADem]

35. Abejo....aka beer. The Iranians used to make a fairly decent one. And the Armenians used to

make Persian wines that were uneven but when you got a good bottle it was usually a great bottle.

I'll bet those little home winemaker kits are increasing in popularity around those parts, and the smugglers are making a bundle as well. Johnny Walker used to be the most popular product sold in Iranian liquor stores back in the day when "Iranian Liquor Store" wasn't a "WTF" phrase.