Saudi Arabia will allow females to compete in the Olympic Games for the first time, its embassy in London said in a landmark statement issued on Sunday.u00a0The Saudi Olympic Committee will “oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify”. The issue of women in sport remains extremely sensitive in the ultra-conservative Muslim state, where women are not even allowed to drive cars and authorities shut down private gyms for women in 2009 and 2010.

Waving the saudi flag: Dalma Malhas is likely to be Saudi Arabia’s only female athleteu00a0to qualify.u00a0File Pic/AFP