ONE of the International Olympic Committee’s most powerful women came to the heart of the conservative Gulf yesterday to demand a better deal for Asian female athletes.
Anita Defrantz, the chairwoman of the IOC’s women’s committee, told the Asian Olympic Council general assembly that only six Asian countries refused to send women’s teams to the Olympics.
She pointed out that five of them - Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen - were in the Middle East. The sixth is Brunei.
“I believe that by the time of the Beijing Olympics it will be less,” Defrantz  told the meeting being held on the sidelines of the Asian Games.
“We also challenge Asia to have more women on the executive. It’s not quite 20 percent.”  (AFP)