WUNRN
SAUDI ARABIA - DENIAL OF WOMEN'S
& GIRLS' RIGHTS TO SPORT
Direct Link to Full 58-Page 2012
Report: http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/saudi0212webwcover.pdf
“Steps
of the Devil”
Denial
of Women’s and Girls’ Rights to Sport in Saudi Arabia
February 15, 2012 - This report documents discrimination by
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education in denying girls physical education in
state schools, as well as discriminatory practices by the General Presidency
for Youth Welfare, a youth and sports ministry, in licensing women’s gyms and
supporting only all-male sports clubs. The National Olympic Committee of Saudi
Arabia also has no programs for women athletes and has not fielded women in
past Olympic Games.
In its interviews with Saudi women and
international sporting officials, the report found that Saudi government
restrictions put athletics beyond the reach of almost all women. There is no
government sports infrastructure for women, with all designated buildings,
sport clubs, courses, expert trainers, and referees limited exclusively to men.
The ban on women’s private, for-fee sports clubs has forced women to restrict
themselves to fitness gyms that rarely feature swimming pools, a running track,
or playing fields for team sports. Membership fees there are beyond the means
of many ordinary Saudi women and girls. Official sporting bodies hold no
competitive sports for Saudi women athletes in the kingdom and do not support
Saudi sportswomen in regional or international competitions.