No women allowed: Saudi Arabia wants MEN-ONLY Olympics with ultra-conservative plan for segregated games

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Ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia wants to see men and women compete in separate Olympics with a controversial proposal to joint-host segregated games.

An official from the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee floated the idea of male athletes competing in his country while a female games would be held in neighbouring Bahrain.  

Prince Fahad bin Jalawi Al Saud, an international relations consultant to the president of the Saudi committee, told French sports website Frances Jeux that he could see the country bidding for the Olympics with another Gulf state.

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Sarah Attar was the first ever female Saudi athlete to compete at the Olympics on the track at London 2012

The ultra-conservative Gulf state has suggested men and women could compete in separate games

The International Olympic Committee has poured cold water on Saudi proposals for a segregated competition

Acknowledging certain 'cultural constraints' made it difficult to imagine having women compete in his home country, Fahad said: 'Our society can be very conservative.

'It has a hard time accepting that women can compete in sports, especially in swimming.

'Wearing sports clothing in public is not really allowed. For these cultural reasons, it is difficult to bid for certain big international events.' 

But Fahad maintained a compromise was possible, proposing an arrangement with another Middle Eastern country such as Bahrain.

He said: 'We could envisage it with Bahrain. 

'We have always had a form of cooperation with that country.

'Bahrain would hold the women's events, we would hold the men's competitions.'

Dalma Rushdi Malhas was meant to compete for Saudi Arabia at London 2012 before her horse got injured

Saudi Arabia sent female athletes to the Olympics for the first time at London 2012, caving in to pressure from the International Olympic Committee after the only other countries never to field women competitors, Qatar and Brunei, agreed to do so.

Saudi conservatives denounced the country's two female competitors in London, 800-metre runner Sarah Attar and judoka Wojdan Shaherkani, as 'prostitutes' on social media. 

Attar finished last in her heat, some 45 seconds behind the winner, while running in a hijab and Sharia-compliant sportswear. 

Shaherkani, only 16 at the time, was eliminated after less than a minute of her one and only fight. 

Showjumper Dalma Rushdi Malhas was the only female Saudi athlete who actually met Olympic standards of qualification, but had to pull out of the games after her horse was injured.

The opening ceremony at the Olympic stadium in east London. Saudi Arabia sent female athletes to compete at the games for the first time

Hard-line religious clerics in Saudi Arabia are often uncomfortable with women exercising, warning that it may expose them to licentiousness and blur gender boundaries.

Judoka Wojdan Shaherkani was just 16 when she competed for Saudi Arabia at London 2012

Female athletes have a hard time finding facilities to train and are not allowed to attend matches in stadiums.

The IOC swiftly dismissed Fahad's suggestion for a segregated games.

Committee president Thomas Bach told the Associated Press: 'A commitment to "non-discrimination" will be mandatory for all countries hoping to bid for the Olympics in the future.

'This was made very clear in the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms and will even be in the host city contract.

'If this is not applied, the bid would not be admissible. Countries like Saudi Arabia must really work to allow female athletes to freely participate.'

Fahad said in his interview that a Saudi-Bahrain joint candidacy would be allowed under the Olympic Agenda 2020 reform package approved by the IOC in Monaco.

The changes opened the door to holding events outside a host city or country, as well as possible joint bids by cities, neighboring countries or regions, but only in 'exceptional cases'.

But IOC spokesman Mark Adams added: 'You cannot simply "outsource" certain issues to another territory,' when asked about the Saudi suggestion.