Saudi Women to Be Allowed Into Sports Stadiums Next Year<br />The General Sports Authority described the decision as one<br />that will allow "families" into the stadiums — a term authorities use to refer to the public spaces that accommodate women.<br />DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia will allow women into sports stadiums as of next year, the kingdom’s latest step toward easing rules on gender segregation —<br />but they will be seated in the so-called family section, an area separate from the male-only crowd.<br />In 2015, an Australian female supporter of Western Sydney Wanderers soccer club was permitted to attend a match at Riyadh’s main stadium<br />and a group of American women traveling with members of U.S. Congress watched a local club match, also in Riyadh.<br />The decision comes after the public appeared to welcome a decision to allow women to drive for the first time next year.<br />The authority said the three major sports stadiums in the capital, Riyadh,<br />and the cities of Jiddah and Dammam will undergo renovations to accommodate families.<br />Two years ago, a Saudi woman was arrested while attending a soccer game in Jiddah’s al-Jawhara stadium, which opened to the public in 2014.<br />Police were quoted in local media at the time as saying<br />that security spotted her at the stadium "deliberately disguised" in pants, a long-sleeve top, a hat and sunglasses to avoid detection.
