London 2012 Olympics: Saudis allow women to compete

[muriel_volestrangler]

36. Didn't take long: apparently, her horse is injured

Saudi showjumper Dalma Rushdi Malhas to miss Olympics

Dalma Rushdi Malhas, who won bronze in the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010, was seen as the country's most likely representative. But her mother, Arwa Mutabagani, told the Guardian she would not be able to compete because her horse, Caramell KS, was injured.

"Unfortunately her horse got injured, and there is no chance of her getting to the Olympics this time," said Mutabagani, herself a former showjumper. "You have to have the combination. It would be like a Formula One driver going to the track without their car." Caramell was bought from Sweden for a substantial sum at the end of last year to help Malhas's Olympic bid, but an injury to its back was diagnosed six weeks ago and it will not have recovered in time for the Games.

It would, in any case, have been premature for the IOC to pitch Malhas into Olympic competition. As the Youth Olympic Games, in which she won her bronze, was a relatively underpowered event, she had not reached the qualifying standard, so the IOC would have had to give her a wildcard. Such a manoeuvre, convenient though it would have been in ending the standoff between the Saudi authorities and the IOC, would have proved controversial, with other countries asking why Saudi competitors should receive special treatment.

The equestrian world governing body, the FEI, confirmed that Malhas would not be competing. "However, we understand that the IOC has a number of other female athletes from Saudi Arabia in other sports who are currently under consideration," said its secretary general Ingmar De Vos.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/25/saudi-dalma-rushdi-malhas-showjumper-london-olympics