Saudi woman allowed to compete in hijab
Source: http://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/saudi-woman-allowed-compete-hijab-21405...
LONDON (Reuters) - A female Saudi fighter will take part in the Olympic judo competition after being allowed to wear an Islamic headscarf, or hijab, of a specific design, officials said on Monday.
Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani is one of only two Saudi women to travel to London after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) lobbied the conservative Islamic kingdom to end its refusal to send women to the Games.
But she had said she would only compete if she was allowed to wear the hijab, and judo officials refused, saying it would be dangerous.
A Saudi National Olympic Committee spokeswoman said the committee, the IOC and the International Judo Federation (IJF) had now agreed on an acceptable form for the headscarf.
"They agreed on a design and she will compete wearing this design," Razan Baker said, adding that she did not know how this design looked.
IJF spokesman Nicolas Messner confirmed that Shaherkani would compete, but declined to give further details.
The IOC this year successfully pressed Saudi Arabia and fellow Muslim nations Qatar and Brunei, the last three countries to refuse to send women to the Olympics, to end their bans.
The Saudi decision to send Shaherkani and teenage 800-metre runner Sarah Attar was praised by IOC President Jacques Rogge at the time. Shaherkani is due to compete in the heavyweight category on Friday.
The IJF's regulations for the Olympic Games state that no headgear can be worn, and the federation says there could be a danger to fighters if a hijab is inadvertently used for an otherwise legal strangulation grip.
congrats for all the ladies competing in olympics
Why dont the saudis have a olympics or whatever of their own and allow their atheletes to wear all types of fancy clothes. They must realize that people need to move forward and not backwards like in say pakistan and afghanistan
dnt be sorry just pray for her
better!
I'm starting to feel sorry for Sarah Attar. Why isn't she also being given the support and attention that she deserves?
Or maybe she is lucky, because all the misogynists have forgotten about her.
They have to allow them, because when Saudi women weren't allowed to compete by their government everyone complained, now that they are allowed let them wear what they want :)
the subject has diverted on to the scar...lols
She is competing, she is not competing, she is wearing Hijab, she is not wearing hijab, now she is wearing hijab.. Just get the damn event over with before any more flip-flops
best for her :)
and yes that seems scar
NO LP, tatz a scar which she got while practising Judo with Panda....:(
It is called triumph of determination over the excuses ..
She sure looks like a winner. Is that a tatoo on her left arm?
Good :)