LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) ― IOC president Jacques Rogge is optimistic that Saudi Arabia will send female athletes to the Olympics for the first time at this summer’s London Games, helping achieve the Olympic body’s target of having women represented on every national team.
In an interview Monday with the Associated Press, Rogge said the International Olympic Committee was in advanced talks with the Saudis to include female competitors.
Details of how many athletes and from which sport or sports are still being worked out.
“We are still discussing with them on the practicalities, but we are optimistic that this is going to happen,” Rogge said. “It depends on the possibilities of qualifications, standards of different athletes. We’re still discussing the various options.”
Saudi Arabia may not have women who meet Olympic qualifying standards, meaning the IOC and international sports federations would have to offer special invitations or find other solutions.
A decision should be finalized in a month to six weeks, Rogge said.
Saudi Arabia was one of three countries without any female athletes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The others, Qatar and Brunei, also have never sent women to compete at the games.
Qatar announced last month that it will use IOC wild card invitations to send at least two women ― a swimmer and sprinter ― to the London Games. Two others could also be added to the list.
Baseball, softball plan joint bid
ROME (AP) ― Baseball and softball officials want to complete plans by the end of the month for a joint bid for Olympic reinstatement.
The International Baseball Federation says it hopes to finish the work with the International Softball Federation at a March 17 meeting in the Netherlands and then submit it to the International Olympic Committee.
Baseball and softball are competing with karate, roller sports, sports climbing, squash, wakeboard and wushu for one spot on the 2020 program.
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
