http://www.myfoxny.com/story/19009845/saudis-to-send-2-women-to-london-olympics?clienttype=printable

Saudis to send 2 women to London Olympics

Posted: Jul 12, 2012 11:12 AM EDTUpdated: Jul 12, 2012 11:12 AM EDT  Women in black abbaya and sport shoes jog along the Red Sea in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 10, 2002. (File/AP/Hasan Jamali)MYFOXNY.COM -Saudi Arabia agreed Thursday to send two women to compete in the 2012 Olympic games. It means that every country competing will include female athletes, the first time that has happened in Olympic history. The move by the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom comes after Saudi sports leaders declared that the women of Saudi sports must respect the kingdom's rules. Female competitors must dress modestly, be accompanied by a male guardian and not mix with men, Prince Nawaf bin Faisal told the paper Al-Jazirah. They must also wear "suitable clothing that complies with sharia" (Islamic law), he said. Saudi Arabia had been under intense pressure from the International Olympic Committee and human-rights groups to include female athletes. Thursday's announcement followed months of IOC negotiations. The two female Saudi athletes are Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani in judo and 800-meter runner Sarah Attar. About 10,500 athletes are expected to compete in London, representing more than 200 national Olympic committees.