Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee

Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee

Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee logo
Country/Region	Saudi Arabia
Code	KSA
Created	1964
Recognized	1965
Continental Association	OCA
Headquarters	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
President	Abdullah bin Musa'ed bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Secretary General	Hossam Qurashi
Website	www.olympic.sa

Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (IOC code: KSA) is the National Olympic Committee representing Saudi Arabia.

Until the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Saudi Arabia was one of three countries that had never had a female competitor at the games. The other two countries, Qatar and Brunei, also selected women to compete for the first time.

In April 2012 the head of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee ruled against sending female participants to the Summer Olympics in London. The Olympic committee had previously released a list of potential candidates for the games which included females. Saudi Arabia's refusal to send women to the Olympics put them at odds with the Olympic charter which states that "any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, sex or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement".

The Olympic Committee's stance was later changed and it was announced that two female athletes, Sarah Attar (in the 800m) and will compete in the 800m and Wojdan Shaherkani (in the +78 kg Judo) judo would compete in London.

Shaherkani was selected despite not meeting Olympic qualifying standards, by specific invitation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Unlike most Olympic competitors, she did not win her spot through a national competition because Saudi Arabia strongly discourages women from participating in sport, and thus has no such competitions for women. Unlike other judoka in competition, who have attained black belts in the sport, she had only acquired a blue belt.

The IOC president Jacques Rogge said of Shahrkhani's and Attar's inclusion, "The I.O.C. has been working very closely with the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee and I am pleased to see that our continued dialogue has come to fruition."

The Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee preferred not to promote Shahrkhani's participation. They also required that she "dress modestly, be accompanied by a male guardian and not mix with men" while in London for the 2012 Games. Additionally, her competition clothing has to comply with Sharia law.