Saudi female sports clubs licenced

25 sports centres for women in Saudi Arabia will be granted licences following an agreement by Saudi judicial agencies calling for a law change. According to Arab News, the clubs have been spurred into making the necessary changes to their facilities for their premises to be deemed fit enough to receive a licence from the authorities. The specifications for these changes have not been outlined, but many buildings in the ultra-conservative kingdom are intended to allow segregation of females and males. The move has been described as a major step for the country, which is infamous for its lack of women right’s. In the past, female fitness clubs were refused authorisation, forcing Saudi women to exercise within the grounds of private schools, but remained undeterred by the restrictions – establishing their own sports teams and competing locally and internationally. Ruqyah Al-Zahrani, captain of the club told Arab News that there is a clear increase in the number of female students from King Abdul Aziz University applying to join sport clubs. She went on to explain that there are currently 20 female sports clubs in Jeddah, three football teams in Riyadh, two basketball teams in the Eastern Province and one at Saudi Aramco.