Princess Reema: WTA Decision to Hold Finals in Saudi Arabia

Agencies – Sudan Events 

Objecting to the decision to hold the Women’s Tennis Association Finals in Saudi Arabia “undermines the progress” Saudi women have made to advance in sports and is “beyond disappointing” to see, the Kingdom’s Ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar said in a statement on Tuesday.
The ambassador issued a statement in response to an opinion piece published in The Washington Post in which the authors criticized the decision to host the major tennis event in the country because it is “a country where women are not seen as equal” and are considered “the property of men.”
According to the ambassador, Saudi women own more than 300,000 business, and roughly 25 percent of small and mid-size start-up company – about the same percentage as in the US.
Male-dominated sectors in the Kingdom – including the military, firefighting, law enforcement, and even space exploration – are open to women, she added.
Women in Saudi Arabia also enjoy equal pay, something that has yet to become a universal norm, Princess Reema continued.
“While there’s still work to be done, the recent progress for women, the engagement of women in the workforce, and the social and cultural opportunities being created for women are truly profound, and should not be overlooked,” she said.
In sports, much progress has been made, including the launch of women’s sports leagues and federations. Saudi Arabia is home to more than 330,000 registered female athletes with 14,000 actively playing tennis.
There are thousands of women coaches, mentors, referees, and sports doctors working in the Kingdom.
Saudi women have been participating across sports in local, regional, and international competitions – and winning too.