Archive for International Olympic Committee

UN praises ‘exemplary’ Summer Olympics

by admin
August 15th, 2012

Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace Wilfried Lemke. Photo: UNOSDP/K&W Bringmeier

The United Nations envoy on sport for peace on Monday praised the London 2012 Olympic Games for their remarkable displays of athletic achievement, as well as for paving the road for future successes in promoting social change in a range of areas, from gender equality to peace building.

“I wish to congratulate the organizers, athletes, spectators and even more so the many volunteers whose remarkable efforts and support have been exemplary from start to finish,” the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, Wilfried Lemke, said in a news release.

“There were a number of notable occasions and initiatives before and during these 17 days of competition that contributed to the legacy that these Games will have in the long run,” he added.

Lemke pointed to the historic inclusion of female athletes in all sporting delegations, including Saudi Arabia, noting that bridging the gender gap would “help change mentalities” and was “a very encouraging step in the fight for gender equality and women’s empowerment in and through sport.”

According to the International Olympic Committee, Saudi Arabia sent two female athletes – Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani, who competed in judo, and Sarah Attar, who competed in athletics – to the London Games. The 2012 edition of the Summer Olympics also broke the gender barrier with every sporting event featuring both male and female competitions.

Turning to the Game’s numerous sporting successes, Lemke also celebrated the vast reduction in reports of doping among Olympic athletes while also applauding the demonstrations of dialogue and friendship on display throughout the two-week event.

At the same time, he noted that while the global call for a cessation of hostilities around the world had not gone entirely heeded, it still had had a resounding effect on the Games themselves.

“Even though a full observance of the Olympic Truce, meaning a cessation of hostilities during the Games, was not achieved, its spirit was definitely brought to life by a vast number of peace building and conflict prevention initiatives carried out worldwide, as well as by the exemplary behavior shown by athletes, spectators and volunteers,” Lemke said.

In 2011, the 193 UN Member States co-sponsored a General Assembly resolution calling for the observance of an Olympic Truce and exhorting the cessation of all conflicts during the sports event. The resolution for this year’s Games was the first time that all 193 UN Member States co-sponsored it and passed it unanimously

The envoy’s office also noted that the Games provided the UN system with a global platform to promote numerous objectives, with various UN agencies taking part in awareness-raising campaigns and community programs, as well as disease surveillance and environmental-protection initiatives.

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UN praises Saudi decision on female athletes at Olympics

by admin
July 15th, 2012

Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace Wilfried Lemke. Photo: UNOSDP/K&W Bringmeier

The United Nations envoy on sport for peace on Friday welcomed the decision made by Saudi Arabia to send female athletes to London to compete in the upcoming 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

“This decision, following a similar one by Brunei Darussalam and Qatar, marks a significant progress in realizing the right of all to take part in physical and sporting activities, and hence achieving greater gender equality in sport,” the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, Wilfried Lemke, said in a news release.

“Decisions such as the one taken today by the Saudi Arabian authorities definitely set a positive example and bring us gradually closer to the realization of a more equitable future, on and off the field of play,” he added.

According to the International Olympic Committee, Saudi Arabia will send two female athletes – Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani, who will compete in judo, and Sarah Attar, who will compete in athletics – to the 2012 Games, which start on July 27 in the UK capital.

Lemke noted that the UN family, the Olympic Movement and their partners, have long worked together to promote the participation of women in sports activities and competitions, as well as in management and leadership roles.

“This is for instance reflected in the fact that today, at the Olympics, participation of athletes is almost equally balanced between women and men,” he said, adding, however, that women and girls still face today a great deal of discrimination and marginalization in all sectors of society around the world.

“This saddening reality applies to the world of sport, despite the remarkable advances made in that area over the past decades,” the Special Adviser said.

“The practice of sport and physical activity, at all levels, can have immense benefits for individuals, communities and societies. No one should, on the basis of gender, race, ability, age, culture or religious considerations, be denied access to sport and miss on the positive effects its practice can bring.”

One of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – anti-poverty and development targets agreed on by world leaders at a UN summit in 2000 – aims at “promoting gender equality and empowering women.” Lemke’s office has noted that sport has been recognized as a viable and practical tool to assist in the achievement of the MDGs.

In February, at the 5th World Conference on Women and Sport, organized by the IOC and attended by several UN officials, including Special Adviser Wilfried Lemke, participants adopted a declaration which said that “the promotion of women’s participation in sports activities, management and administration should, and must, serve the wider goal of supporting the international agenda of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.”

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IOC says “confident” Saudi Arabia will send women to Olympics

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July 13th, 2012

London 2012 logo

DUBAI: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Wednesday that it was “confident” that Saudi Arabia would end up sending female athletes to London for the 2012 Olympic Games despite reports that the ultra-conservative country had no women participate in qualifications in the country.

International rights groups and Olympic officials have upped pressure on the Gulf Kingdom in recent months to have women participate on their official team, or risk being barred completely from the Games.

“We are still talking to the Saudi NOC (national Olympic committee) and remain confident of a positive outcome,” the International Olympic Committee said in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday.

A new report published this week by the pan-Arabic daily al-Sharq al-Awsat has revealed that no women will be part of the Saudi Arabia Olympic team in London later this month.

The article said that “no female team taking part in the three fields” had participated in qualification in the ultra-conservative country.

The report quoted an unnamed Saudi official. It is unclear if women were even permitted to participate in the qualification events.

In late June, the country reportedly had given the go-ahead for female athletes to take part in the London Olympics 2012, the country’s embassy in London said in what was viewed as a “monumental” statement.

International rights groups had demanded Saudi be barred from the Games if they refused to allow women athletes from participating.

The Saudi Olympic Committee will “oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify,” the statement said.

But this week, it appears the committee did not follow through on their promise, with no women at the qualification events.

The issue of women in sport remains extremely sensitive in the ultra-conservative Gulf Kingdom, where women are not allowed to drive and authorities closed private gyms for women in 2009 and 2010.

Equestrian Dalma Malhas was likely to be the country’s only female athlete to qualify for this summer’s Games in London which get underway on July 27, but her horse is injured and she is out of the Games.

Malhas, born in the United States, won a bronze medal at the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympics without having been nominated by her country, following an invitation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) Executive Director Ken Roth had issued a call this month for Saudi Arabian women to be allowed to participated in next month’s London Olympics by the ultra-conservative Gulf Kingdom.

“The Olympics launch in a month and Saudi Arabia stands alone in the world banning women from sport,” the message on Thunderclap began. “By refusing to allow women on their national team, Saudi Arabia violates the Olympic Charter. London 2012: Don’t let Saudi Arabia play unless their women can!”

Roth, in his message to both the world and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said that Saudi women have never before competed in the Olympics.

“Saudi Arabia’s discriminatory policies against women and girls in sport clearly violate the Olympic Charter,” he continued.

That Olympic Charter states specifically that “the practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind. [Any] form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.”

Roth’s HRW have been stalwarts in pushing for the Saudi government to allow women to participate in the global games, and while the IOC said last month it was optimistic over women being included, Saudi women remain on the outside looking in.

Roth added that “Saudi Arabia’s participation in the London Games should be conditioned on its playing by the rules,” which clearly states that a country that does have women on their team will be barred from participating.

The IOC Women’s Chair Anita DeFrantz warned the country in 2010 that if female athletes are not allowed to participate, the country could face being banned from the global competition.

Once again, the issue of female athletes in Saudi is in limbo.

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HRW Executive Director Ken Roth pushing for Saudi women at London Olympics

by admin
June 22nd, 2012

Saudi Arabia’s Malhas competing in Singapore.

CAIRO: New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) Executive Director Ken Roth has issued a call for Saudi Arabian women to be allowed to participated in next month’s London Olympics by the ultra-conservative Gulf Kingdom.

“The Olympics launch in a month and Saudi Arabia stands alone in the world banning women from sport,” the message on Thunderclap began. “By refusing to allow women on their national team, Saudi Arabia violates the Olympic Charter. London 2012: Don’t let Saudi Arabia play unless their women can!”

Roth, in his message to both the world and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) says that Saudi women have never before competed in the Olympics.

“Saudi Arabia’s discriminatory policies against women and girls in sport clearly violate the Olympic Charter,” he continues.

That Olympic Charter states specifically that “the practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind. [Any] form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.”

Roth’s HRW have been stalwarts in pushing for the Saudi government to allow women to participate in the global games, and while the IOC said last month it was optimistic over women being included, Saudi women remain on the outside looking in.

Roth adds that “Saudi Arabia’s participation in the London Games should be conditioned on its playing by the rules,” which clearly states that a country that does have women on their team will be barred from participating.

The IOC Women’s Chair Anita DeFrantz warned the country in 2010 that if female athletes are not allowed to participate, the country could face being banned from the global competition.

Dalma Rushdi Malhas, an 18-year-old Saudi woman, was the likely choice for the competition. She won a bronze medal at the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympics and has the ability to compete at the highest level.

The OIC required each country to field at least one woman in the Youth Olympics and Saudi Arabia included Malhas in its delegation.

In response to comments by the International Olympic Committee, last year Saudi Arabia said it would not oppose participation by a Saudi woman in the London Olympics – but that it would not invite her as part of its official team.

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Saudi media says women approved for London Olympics

by admin
March 22nd, 2012

Despite getting the vote, Saudi women face uphill battle for rights.

Saudi Arabian newspapers reported on Tuesday that the country’s Crown Prince Nayef has approved plans for the ultra-conservative Gulf country to send female athletes to the Olympics for the first time at the London Games.

The Saudi-owned and London-based Al-Hayat newspaper says Nayef, who is heir, has approved the participation of women at the London Olympics in sports that “meet the standards of women’s decency and don’t contradict Islamic laws.”

It comes after the IOC threatened to boot the Gulf kingdom from the games if it did not field female athletes.

Earlier this month IOC President Jacques Rogge said he was optimistic on the chances Saudi Arabia would send women athletes to the 2012 London Olympic Games and not be barred from participating as per IOC rules.

In an interview with The Associated Press in Switzerland, the IOC president said the Olympics governing body was currently in discussions with Riyadh for the country to send women to the Games for the first time in its history.

He did not say how many athletes or from which sport would be sent.

Rogge said a decision should be finalized within a month to six weeks, but “we are optimistic that this is going to happen.”

Saudi Arabia has apparently flip-flopped in recent months over whether to send at least one woman to London.

Less than three months after the ultra-conservative Gulf country said it would permit women to participate in the London 2012 Olympic Games, in February it reportedly reneged on their agreement, barring women from entering the Games.

The move will also threaten the country’s overall participation in the Olympics, with the International Olympic Committee saying that all countries must field female athletes as part of their teams.

The decision has been roundly criticized by human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), which said in a press release that the move is counter to the Olympic Charter, which says, “The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit.”

HRW said it shouldn’t be too surprising, however, as state-run schools offer no physical education for girls and only men belong to sports clubs in the country.

“In fact, government restrictions on women essentially bar them from sports,” a new report says, HRW reported.

The IOC Women’s Chair Anita DeFrantz warned the country in 2010 that if female athletes are not allowed to participate, the country could face being banned from the global competition.

Dalma Rushdi Malhas, an 18-year-old Saudi woman, was the likely choice for the competition. She won a bronze medal at the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympics and has the ability to compete at the highest level.

The OIC required each country to field at least one woman in the Youth Olympics and Saudi Arabia included Malhas in its delegation.

In response to comments by the International Olympic Committee, last year Saudi Arabia said it would not oppose participation by a Saudi woman in the London Olympics – but that it would not invite her as part of its official team.

“Human Rights Watch urges the International Olympic Committee to uphold the values of the Olympic Charter and condition Saudi Arabia’s participation in the London 2012 Olympics on the country taking steps to end discrimination against women in sports,” HRW said in their statement.

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IOC chief “optimistic” Saudi Arabia will send women to London

by admin
March 13th, 2012

Malhas competing in Singapore.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said he was optimistic on the chances Saudi Arabia would send women athletes to the 2012 London Olympic Games and not be barred from participating as per IOC rules.

In an interview with The Associated Press in Switzerland, the IOC president said he the Olympics governing body was currently in discussions with Riyadh for the country to send women to the Games for the first time in its history.

He did not say how many athletes or from which sport would be sent.

Rogge said a decision should be finalized within a month to six weeks, but “we are optimistic that this is going to happen.”

Saudi Arabia has apparently flip-flopped in recent months over whether to send at least one woman to London.

Less than three months after the ultra-conservative Gulf country said it would permit women to participate in the London 2012 Olympic Games, in February it reportedly reneged on their agreement, barring women from entering the Games.

The move will also threaten the country’s overall participation in the Olympics, with the International Olympic Committee saying that all countries must field female athletes as part of their teams.

The decision has been roundly criticized by human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), which said in a press release that the move is counter to the Olympic Charter, which says, “The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit.”

HRW said it shouldn’t be too surprising, however, as state-run schools offer no physical education for girls and only men belong to sports clubs in the country.

“In fact, government restrictions on women essentially bar them from sports,” a new report says, HRW reported.

The IOC Women’s Chair Anita DeFrantz warned the country in 2010 that if female athletes are not allowed to participate, the country could face being banned from the global competition.

Dalma Rushdi Malhas, an 18-year-old Saudi woman, was the likely choice for the competition. She won a bronze medal at the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympics and has the ability to compete at the highest level.

The OIC required each country to field at least one woman in the Youth Olympics and Saudi Arabia included Malhas in its delegation.

In response to comments by the International Olympic Committee, last year Saudi Arabia said it would not oppose participation by a Saudi woman in the London Olympics – but that it would not invite her as part of its official team.

“Human Rights Watch urges the International Olympic Committee to uphold the values of the Olympic Charter and condition Saudi Arabia’s participation in the London 2012 Olympics on the country taking steps to end discrimination against women in sports,” HRW said in their statement.

BM

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