Saudi Arabia’s appointment of its first female head of sports should attract more women into gyms and on to sports pitches in a nation where women are not allowed to exercise with men, female sports organisers said on Friday.
US-raised Princess Reema bint Bandar last week became the first female president of the Saudi Federation for Community Sports that manages sports-related activities for both men and women in the kingdom, local media reported.
Her appointment came amid a series of changes for women in Saudi hailed as a new progressive trend including giving women the right to drive and encouraging more women to work.
Lina Al Maeena, who formed Jeddah United, Saudi Arabia’s first private female basketball club, in 2003, said the princess’ appointment was significant.
“It’s going to be changing stereotypes because of her appointment in that role as the head of both genders,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation from Jeddah.
Saudi Arabia didn’t send any women to the Olympics until 2012.

Into the gym: First Saudi female head of sports should get women exercising

Princess Reema Bint Bandar Bin Sultan (Saudi Gazette)
Thomson Reuters Foundation
Friday 20 October 2017
Last Update: Wednesday, 20 May 2020 KSA 09:50 - GMT 06:50
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