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3 Nations to Send First Female Athletes to Olympics

Saudi Arabia, Brunei, Qatar expected to have women compete in London

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 21, 2012 6:24 PM CDT

(Newser) – This summer's Olympics in London may be the first in which every nation will send at least one female athlete, reports the New York Times. That's because three Muslim holdouts—Saudi Arabia, Brunei, and Qatar—are expected to grudgingly make the concession. Don't expect full teams: Saudi Arabia may send a lone equestrian, for example, and Brunei is expected to send a relatively inexperienced runner, notes the International Herald Tribune.

“While tokenistic participation is welcome, it wouldn’t change our position that the (International Olympic Committee) should effect more systemic change,” says a Human Rights Watch researcher.

Saudi Arabia's Dalma Rushdi Malhas rides during an equestrian competition at the Youth Olympic Games 2010 in Singapore.
Saudi Arabia's Dalma Rushdi Malhas rides during an equestrian competition at the Youth Olympic Games 2010 in Singapore.   (Getty Images)
Saudi Arabia's Dalma Rushdi Malhas rides during an equestrian competition at the Youth Olympic Games 2010 in Singapore.
Saudi Arabia's Dalma Rushdi Malhas rides during an equestrian competition at the Youth Olympic Games 2010 in Singapore.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 5 comments
BCS
Mar 24, 2012 4:39 PM CDT
congratulations, it only took 112 years longer then the rest of the world.
stlman
Mar 21, 2012 10:05 PM CDT
I'm going to do my best Russian dialec to discribe this situation....'Bullshitsky'. How was my pronunciation?
retrobeast
Mar 21, 2012 9:18 PM CDT
Nobody cares about these muslim countries. They going to let them wear their face hiding head dress also? Say no to our government bringing in so called refugees from iraq, somalia, or any other muslim country. San Diego has over 8000 of this people here taking our jobs.
 

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