Woman named to head sports federation in Saudi first

14 October, Riyadh

In Saudi Arabia, a princess has been named to head a sports federation, in a first for women in the conservative Muslim kingdom where men dominate all sports. AFP reports quoting an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, that Princess Rima bint Bandar bin Sultan will lead a federation covering sporting activities for men and women.

Last year, the princess was named by the cabinet to a senior post in the kingdom’s equivalent of a sports ministry. Daughter of a former Saudi Prince, Princess Rima is a graduate from an American university.

Saudi Arabia does not allow women to practise sports in the public sphere and even the introduction of private sports centres for women has aroused criticism among religious conservatives in the Gulf state.