The female football fan causing 'moral uproar' in Saudi Arabia – video
Women are not allowed to go to football matches in the Muslim nation in case they 'promote sinful behaviour'
A video of a Saudi woman at a football match in the United Arab Emirates has caused a "moral uproar" in Saudi Arabia.
Women are banned from attending football matches in the conservative Muslim nation because their presence is said to promote "immoral and sinful behaviour". This forces many women to travel to other Gulf states where rules are more relaxed in order to watch football and other sporting events.
In the short clip, a fully veiled woman wearing a black abaya and niqab is seen shouting at her team after a bad tackle. While shaking her fist in anger, her sleeve falls to expose much of her lower arm.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The clip has been viewed almost half a million times and the majority of the comments have been made by "angry men critical of the unidentified woman for being in a stadium filled with thousands of men", reports the BBC's Mai Noman.
"Does this woman not have a man? Her place is in the house," reads one comment underneath the video.
Another one says: "As a man I do not want to get married to a woman who, surrounded by men, shouts at stadiums."
Despite the reaction, some argue that attitudes towards women and sport are changing in Saudi Arabia.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Lina Al Maena, a former athlete and advocate for girls' sports in Saudi Arabia told the BBC: "There's a lot more acceptance of women's involvement in sports today than there used to be a decade ago."
Indeed, not all of the YouTube comments left by Saudi Arabian men were critical.
According to local reports, Saudi sporting officials are considering allowing women to enter stadiums, but only if they follow strict guidelines, including not mingling with men.
-
Hegseth’s Signal chat put troops in peril, probe findsSpeed Read The defense secretary risked the lives of military personnel and violated Pentagon rules, says new report
-
Texas is trying to become America’s next financial hubIn the Spotlight The Lone Star State could soon have three major stock exchanges
-
Trump pardons Texas Democratic congressmanspeed read Rep. Henry Cuellar was charged with accepting foreign bribes tied to Azerbaijan and Mexico
-
Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted