Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, Princess Reema bint Bandar, has rejected calls by former American tennis players Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova to ban the holding of the Women’s Tennis Association finals in Saudi Arabia.
Princess Rima’s statement came after an article by Kris Evert and Martina Navratilova published in the Washington Post on January 26, in which they opposed holding the finals of the women’s mega event in the kingdom.
Both former players alleged that Saudi Arabia lacks gender equality and therefore should not host this season’s finals there.
In response, Princess Rima wrote: ‘Sports should not be used as a tool for personal bias, to promote our own agendas or to punish a society that wishes to embrace and contribute to the development of tennis. ‘
She added: ‘Failure to recognize the remarkable progress of women in Saudi Arabia is like discrediting our glorious journey.’
She said: ‘Like many women around the world, we looked up to these tennis legends as role models and beacons of hope that other women could achieve it all, but these champions turned their backs on them. is what she was inspired by and it’s disappointing.’
Princess Reema said women in Saudi Arabia now have opportunities in traditionally male-dominated fields such as the military, firefighting, law enforcement and even space exploration.
He rejected Everett and Navratilova’s argument that women do not have equal rights in Saudi Arabian society.
According to him: ‘Let me just say get your facts straight. Nothing like ‘guardianship’ of men describes Saudi women today. Women do not need a guardian’s approval to travel, work or head their own household.’
He added: ‘Today, Saudi women own more than 300,000 businesses and about 25 percent of small and medium start-up companies, a figure similar to that of the United States. Women in Saudi now receive equal pay and this is a right that should apply to the whole world.
According to her: ‘Although more needs to be done in this regard, recent developments for women, their inclusion in the workforce, and the social and cultural opportunities created for them are profound and cannot be ignored. should be done.’
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Princess Rima said that there are about 350,000 registered female athletes in Saudi Arabia, of which 14,000 are participating in the sport of tennis, while thousands of women are serving as coaches, mentors, referees and sports doctors.
Princess Reema stressed that portraying Saudi Arabian women as ‘silent victims’ undermines not only their progress in sports but also the broader progress made for women in the country.
The Saudi ambassador rejected claims that the kingdom’s male guardianship laws restrict women’s freedom and that the laws are no longer in force.
He also rejected claims that Saudi law treats women as the property of men, stressing the need for accurate information.
Highlighting the achievements of athletes such as Yasmin Al-Dabbagh, Tahani Al-Qahtani and Yara Al-Hogbani, Princess Reema also emphasized the need to dispel false perceptions about women’s rights in Saudi Arabia.
He called for a positive debate on the advancement of women and called for inclusive dialogue to avoid bias.
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2024-04-23 17:40:20