Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 7 October 1965 at the IOC session in Madrid, Saudi Arabia has competed at every Olympic Games since 1972, with the exception of 1980. It has never competed in the Olympic Winter Games. Saudi Arabia, which has never entered any female competitors, won its first two Olympic medals at Sydney in 2000. Hadi Soua’an Al-Somaily won a silver in the men’s 400 metre hurdles, and Khaled Al-Eid won an equestrian bronze in individual show jumping.

Through 2008, Saudi Arabia has competed in 9 Olympic Games with 131 athletes but no women athletes and this has become of a point of contention with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC has had discussions with Saudi Arabia about having female competitors in 2012, but the Saudi Arabian government recently announced that they would not allow this, because of religious restrictions against women competing in sports. This is in complete violation of the Olympic Charter, but no sanctions have been made as of May 2012. Finally two female athletes competed in London and Wojdan Shaherkani became the first Saudi woman to represent her country at the Olympics.