Iran allows women weighlifters to go abroad

TEHRAN

Women weightlifters from Iran will be allowed to compete internationally for the first time, the president of the country’s weightlifting federation has said.

In a sign of changing attitudes, Saudi Arabia also confirmed the setting up of a women’s program, opening the way to the country also fielding a national women’s team six years after the sport’s governing body allowed the wearing of the hijab in competition.

Iran has one of the world’s strongest weightlifting cultures and its men have won seven Olympic gold medals this century. Ali Moradi, president of the Iranian Weightlifting Federation, said, “We have established the Iran Weightlifting Federation Women’s Committee and we have talented female athletes: “They have high capacity like men athletes, and I hope that, wearing special clothes for Muslim athletes, they will be able to take part in international championships in the near future.”

Mohammed Alharbi, president of the Saudi Arabia Weightlifting Federation, also confirmed that a new women’s program had been set up.