Saudi mulls allowing women into football stadium

Saudi mulls allowing women into football stadium
By Staff
Published Sunday, October 30, 2011
Saudi Arabia could for the first time lift a ban on women and allow them to watch football matches along with men inside stadiums in the conservative Gulf kingdom, a newspaper reported on Sunday.

The Saudi football federation has submitted a proposal to the competent authorities to admit women into packed stadiums during football matches and such a move could be enforced next year, theArabic language daily Shams said, citing unnamed sources in the federation.

Women could be allowed into the major stadiums in such big cities as Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam as a first step to fully lift the ban on women.

“The authorities are studying ways to implement such a move to ensure there will be no harassment of women inside stadiums…they are also considering designating special entrances for women at stadiums as well as places which are reserved only for women and families away from men,” the paper said.

“The sources said the new policy could be enforced in the next football season and that it is intended to cope with developments in global football clubs…they noted that the new policy follows reports that Saudi Arabia has been excluded from hosting international sport events, including the world club cup because women are not allowed to watch matches inside stadiums.”