Doha (AsiaNews/ Agencies) - The participation of Qatari women athletes in the London Olympics during Ramadan is proving divisive for the country's Wahhabis, followers of a 18th century purist Islamic school. The Games, which open on 27 July, start a few days before, 21 July, the beginning of the Muslim month of fasting.
In Qatart, sources say that Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Than is prepared to let the country's three female athletes go in accordance with the precept that travellers are allowed to break their fast when they are on a journey, provided they catch up once they return home. Otherwise, the three women might be too weak to participate.
"It's not an easy situation," conceded IOC President Jacques Rogge at a recent news conference. "There is a commitment. We're working steadily with them to find a good solution,"
Meanwhile, as they wait for an answer, the three athletes in question-Nada Wafa Arakji (swimming), Noor al-Malki (athletics) and Bahia Al-Hamad (shooting)-are training to improve their chances of qualification.
When the announcement was made that three women would compete during the holy month of Ramadan, Qatari religious authorities, which are closely aligned with their Saudi counterpart, came out against it. For clerical leaders, the Games allow the "mixing of the sexes", a clear indicator of a decline in moral values that touches the Muslim world as well.
After Qatar and Brunei accepted to field women athletes, Saudi Arabia is the only country without women Olympic athletes.
A Human Rights Watch report released in February called on Saudi Arabia to protect women's equal right to sports and urged the IOC to live up to its charter, and exclude the country if it bans female athletes.
Under the IOC charter, all forms of discrimination are banned. Any country that discriminates is excluded. This was the case for South Africa, which was banned between 1964 and 1992, and Afghanistan under the Taliban, which was excluded from the 2000 Games for its oppression of women.