Dina Mostafa brought home the bronze medal in karate, marking the first medal in the history of women in Saudi Arabia at the Asian Games. This achievement comes at a time when Iranian girls won their first medal in volleyball at the 1966 Asian Games, 60 years ago. These two events showcase the deep differences in the history of women's sports in the two countries.
A Background on Women's Sports in Saudi Arabia
The Al Saud family has ruled in Saudi Arabia for 98 years, but women's sports activities in the country have been somewhat of a missing link. Despite recent efforts by Mohammed bin Salman to develop sports in Saudi Arabia and inject substantial investments into this area, a bronze medal after nearly a century still cannot represent real progress. This medal somewhat symbolizes the beginning of a long journey for women in Saudi Arabia, who still have a long way to go.
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Iran's Successes in Women's Sports
Over the past 60 years, Iran has won 77 colorful medals in various women's sports at the Asian Games. Statistics show that 95 percent of these medals have been won in the last 26 years. This astronomical growth reflects careful planning and continuous support from governments and the martyr leader in the development of women's sports. Especially in the past three decades, the 71 colorful medals won by Iranian girls clearly illustrate the vast difference between women's sports in Iran and Saudi Arabia.
While Saudis talk about making history in women's sports and present this achievement as a success of bin Salman, Iranians celebrated this achievement 60 years ago and have now become one of the major hubs of women's sports in Asia and the world. This difference is evident not only in the number of medals but also in the depth and quality of women's sports activities.
It seems that Iran, with a strong backing in women's sports, will continue to remain a successful model in this field. Given the history and achievements of these two countries, it can be said that the path to progress in women's sports in Saudi Arabia is still in its early stages and requires more attention and effort.
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