Saudis to allow girls to begin playing sports in public schools

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia said Tuesday that it will grant girls in public schools access to physical education, a decision that comes after years of calls by women across the kingdom demanding greater rights and access to sports.

The Education Ministry said it will introduce the physical education classes “gradually” and “in accordance with [Islamic] Shariah regulations.”

At least one Saudi activist took to Twitter questioning whether this implied that girls will be required to seek the permission of their male guardians, such as a father, before they can play sports. It was also unclear if the classes would be extracurricular or mandatory.

The decision to allow girls to play sports in public schools is significant in Saudi Arabia because women taking part in exercise is still seen as a taboo. Some of the kingdom’s ultraconservatives shun the concept of women’s exercise as “immodest” and say it blurs gender lines.

Despite incremental openings for Saudi women, tight restrictions remain in place. Women are banned from driving and must seek the permission of a male guardian to travel abroad or obtain a passport. Restrictive male guardianship rules give men, usually the father or husband, huge sway over a woman’s life in Saudi Arabia.

The move to grant girls access to sports comes after years of campaigning by women’s rights activists, who have led calls to end male guardianship rules and lift the ban on women driving.

The Education Ministry said the decision to introduce sports for girls was in line with the country’s sweeping Vision 2030 plan, a wide-reaching government plan to overhaul society and the economy. It is being spearheaded by the kingdom’s young heir to the throne, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.