Women in Saudi Arabia will be able to attend horse races when a new stadium opens next year, a press report said Thursday.
The daily Asharq al-Awsat said stands will be reserved for women at the al-Janadriya track east of Riyadh, which is scheduled to open at the beginning of next year.
The paper said western women living in the country already attend horse races, but Saudi women have hitherto been barred from all sporting events.
Women are also forbidden to drive cars in Saudi Arabia, and medicine and teaching are about the only professions open to them.
Last November, the authorities said women would soon be able to have their own identity cards, instead of being included on their husband's or father's family registration documents.
But women still have their own separate cafes, and are barred from theatres, cinemas, night clubs and other places of entertainment - RIYADH (AFP)
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