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Saudi Arabia ponders sports clubs for women

Reuters

LONDON // Saudi Arabia has set up a ministerial committee to consider allowing women's sports clubs, Al-Watan newspaper reported yesterday, despite opposition to female exercise from religious conservatives.

Abdullah Al Zamil, an official from the general presidency of youth welfare, said the committee was being formed to end the "chaos" surrounding women's sports clubs which are effectively unregulated, Al-Watan reported.

"The mission of the committee is focused on building a system for these clubs," the newspaper, owned by a member of the Saudi royal family, reported Mr Zamil as saying. Clerics have long argued against women playing sports.

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EDITORS NOTE: RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE -- MANDATORY CREDIT

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