- Dec 6, 2009
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LONDON (Reuters) - The first Saudi woman to compete at the Olympics may have bowed out after only 80 seconds on the judo mat on Friday but she was hailed as a heroine by many web-users in her homeland and given an enthusiastic reception by the Olympic crowd.
Only a week ago, softly spoken and shy teenager Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani had been labeled a "whore" on Twitter by some in conservative Saudi Arabia, but that criticism has been since drowned out by an outpouring of support and applause.
For some in Saudi Arabia, where a strict interpretation of Islam is enforced and where women have long struggled for greater rights, whether Shaherkani won or lost did not matter.
"You are a winner in our eyes ... we're so proud of you," said one Twitter user called May, identified on the profile as coming from Saudi Arabia.
Saudi's first woman bows out after symbolic show - Yahoo! News
Indeed, a winner by any standards.
Only a week ago, softly spoken and shy teenager Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani had been labeled a "whore" on Twitter by some in conservative Saudi Arabia, but that criticism has been since drowned out by an outpouring of support and applause.
For some in Saudi Arabia, where a strict interpretation of Islam is enforced and where women have long struggled for greater rights, whether Shaherkani won or lost did not matter.
"You are a winner in our eyes ... we're so proud of you," said one Twitter user called May, identified on the profile as coming from Saudi Arabia.
Saudi's first woman bows out after symbolic show - Yahoo! News
Indeed, a winner by any standards.
