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Hey Saudis, Let the Women Play!

Time for the IOC to enforce it's no discrimination rule

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 14, 2008 10:42 AM CDT
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(Newser) – The most beautiful sight in the Olympics' opening ceremony came when Egypt’s 26 female competitors strode into the stadium, writes Mona Eltahawy, an Egyptian Muslim, in the Washington Post. Women also carried flags for Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, filling Eltahawy with pride. And then came Saudi Arabia—devoid of women, leading Eltahawy to think, "Yo, Saudi Arabia, how come there ain't no sisters on the team?"

“Disbelievers in the West,” wrote one Saudi cleric, want “to lure Muslim women out of their homes, and subsequently out of their headscarf too.” The many Muslim athletes in Beijing contradict this ridiculous reasoning. It’s time to enforce the IOC rules against discrimination. “If Saudi Arabia won't put women on the team,” Eltahawy writes, “then tell them not to bother showing up…in 2012.”

Runner Mohammed Salman H. Al-Khuwaildi of Saudi Arabia carries his country's flag past some sinfully attired Chinese women during the Olympic Opening Ceremony.
Runner Mohammed Salman H. Al-Khuwaildi of Saudi Arabia carries his country's flag past some sinfully attired Chinese women during the Olympic Opening Ceremony.   (AFP/Getty)
Mohammed Salman H. Al-Khuwaildi Saudi Arabia's flag bearer parades in front of his delegation during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony on August 8, 2008.
Mohammed Salman H. Al-Khuwaildi Saudi Arabia's flag bearer parades in front of his delegation during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony on August 8, 2008.   (AFP/Getty)
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Islam • Middle East • Saudi Arabia • women • 2008 Beijing Olympics • Muslim women

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