Riyadh, Oct 14 (AFP) A princess has been named to head aSaudi multi-sports federation, in a first for women in theconservative Muslim kingdom where men dominate all sports, anofficial said today.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, toldAFP that Princess Rima bint Bandar bin Sultan has become "thefirst woman to lead a federation" covering sporting activitiesfor men and women.
In August 2016, the princess scored another first forwomen in Saudi Arabia when she was named by the cabinet to asenior post in the kingdom's equivalent of a sports ministry.
A daughter of a former Saudi ambassador to Washington,Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Princess Rima is a graduate inmuseology from an American university.
Saudi Arabia does not allow women to practise sports inthe public sphere and even the introduction of private sportscentres for women has aroused criticism among religiousconservatives in the Gulf state.
Although the kingdom announced it will lift a ban onwomen drivers from next June as part of a reform push, itstill retains tight restrictions on women and imposes a strictsegregation of the sexes.
Under the country's guardianship system, a male familymember -- normally the father, husband or brother -- mustgrant permission for a woman's study, travel and otheractivities. (AFP)SMJ.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.