Saudi Arabia to include women in 2012 Olympics team

Saudi Arabia has announced that it is to allow female citizens to take part in the Olympic Games this summer for the first time in the country's history.

The move comes only months after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) faced calls to ban the country from London 2012 after Saudi Olympic officials appeared to rule out sending women athletes to the Games.

However, a statement released by the Saudi embassy to the BBC said that the Saudi Olympic committee will "oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify".

The decision, backed by the Saudi ruler, King Abdullah, was taken two weeks ago but the announcement was delayed due to the death of the Saudi heir to the throne, Crown Prince Nayef, according to the BBC.

The Saudi regime, which closed private women's fitness clubs in 2009 and 2010, and severely limits women's ability to undertake physical activity, has been under mounting international pressure to adopt a more liberal approach.

Former United Kingdom Culture Secretary and Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell, said in February that the Saudis were "clearly breaking the spirit of the Olympic charter's pledge to equality" with their attitude to women in sport and the Games.

Former Minister Jowell spoke out after a report by Human Rights Watch highlighted the way in which Saudi Arabian women and girls are denied the right to sport.

An equestrian jumping contestant, Dalma Malhas, 18, is likely to be Saudi Arabia's only female athlete to qualify for the upcoming London Games which get underway on 27th July.

As recently as February, the Saudi Olympic committee president, Prince Nawaf bin Faisal, said he was "not endorsing" female participation in London as part of the official delegation.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei have all never had a female athlete at the Olympics although Qatar has already announced it will send a three-woman team to London.