Judo Olympian to Wear Headscarf:
Judo fighter Wojdan Shaherkani will be the first female Saudi Arabian athlete to compete in the Olympics. The 16-year-old will compete in her first match on Friday, Aug. 3. Just last week however her participation in the Olympics was uncertain. As she walked behind the men on her team during the opening ceremonies, she did not know if the International Judo Federation would allow her to compete in the Olympics wearing her headscarf. Yesterday, the federation agreed she could wear a sports hijab — which covers the hair, but not the face.
Pepperdine University student Sarah Attar, 19, who was born and raised in Escondido, Calif., will be running the women’s 800 meters for Saudi Arabia on Aug. 8. Attar will also be wearing a sports hijab.
Shaherkani and Attar are the only women on the 19-member Saudi team. This year marks the first time in history that Qatar, Brunei, and Saudi Arabia have included women in the Olympics.
