Activists Press Saudis on Women in Olympics

Ellen Kickmeyer in Riyadh & Iman Dawoud in London – The Wall Street Journal – Wednesday, June 27, 2012 (originally published June 26)

Possible Saudi equestrian rider contestant for Olympics Dalma Rushdi Malhas

Possible Saudi equestrian rider contestant for the Olympics, Dalma Rushdi Malhas. Image: European Press Agency

(WNN/WSJ) World News Portal: Human-rights activists on Tuesday challenged Saudi Arabia’s commitment to fielding women athletes at the Olympics, after it emerged that the equestrian deemed the best prospect to be the Saudis’ first female competitor had been disqualified this month.

The development left open the possibility that Saudi Arabia would remain the sole global holdout on including women when the summer Games open in London on July 27.

Dalma Rushdi Malhas, a 20-year-old equestrian, had missed a June 17 qualifying deadline because of an injury to her horse, the International Equestrian Federation said Monday, one day after Saudi Arabia announced its national Olympics committee would “oversee participation of female participants who qualify.”. .

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