Saudis ‘still in talks’ over female athletes

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said it is still talking to Saudi Arabia about sending women to the London Games, despite a report that the conservative Muslim country’s national Olympic committee resists the idea.

IOC president Jacques Rogge’s comments yesterday come ten days after a Saudi newspaper reported that national Olympic committee president Prince Nawaf does “not approve” of sending female athletes.

“We’re still discussing [this] with our colleague on the Saudi national Olympic committee. It is a bit too soon to come to conclusions,” Mr Rogge said.

He was in Moscow for a meeting of the Association of National Olympic Committees.