BySCEME
End Ban on Women’s Rights to Sport in Saudi Arabia
‘No women allowed,’ is the kingdom’s message to Saudi women and girls who want to play sports.
The Saudi government denies physical education in state schools for girls. Official sporting bodies do not support Saudi sportswomen in competitions.
There is no government sports infrastructure for women, with all the sport clubs, courses, and expert trainers limited exsclusively to men.
The policy reflects the conservative view that opening sports to women will lead to corruption: “steps of the devil,” as one religious scholar explained.
Furthermore, opponents of sports for women argued that once women start to exercise, they will shed modest clothing, spend “unnecessary” time out of the house, and have more chance to socialise with men.
Discrimination against women and girls in sport is only a small fraction of the on-going violations of women’s rights in Saudi Arabia. Under the system of male guardianship, Saudi women need their male guardian’s written consent to work, to study, to marry, and to travel. Male guardians can be fathers, husbands, brothers, or even sons.
Sports can be a great cause for good, but forcing Saudi women to watch all-male teams represent them every four years can only demoralize those aspiring to sporting glory.
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