Islam at the Olympics

Allah (no, not that one) has an interesting set of stories and links about the current Olympic games and the presence of various Islamic nations there as well as a revealing insight into Islam's reaction to athletics... bq. Bob Costas isn't the only one paying attention to the dearth of female athletes on certain countries' Olympic teams. From mullah-stomper Amir Taheri: bq. A circular from the Ministry of Islamic Guidance and Culture in Tehran asks TV editors to make sure that women's games are not televised live: "Images of women engaged in contests [sic] must be carefully vetted," says the letter, leaked in Tehran. "Editors must take care to prevent viewers from being confronted [sic] with uncovered parts of the female anatomy in contests." . . . And more: bq. Last year, the Tehran Municipality presented a plan to provide sports facilities for women. A model stadium was set up with 12-foot-high walls to make sure that no one could see the women from the outside. The stadium was to operate with an all-female staff, including coaches and administrators. The plan was scrapped last February, when critics claimed that the proposed stadium was located close enough to an airport that women in the stadium might be seen by men flying above them in jetliners and helicopters. bq. At times, fear of women doing sports causes major headaches for Islamic governments. The Islamic Republic in Iran, for example, has agreed to host the Muslim Women's International badminton games next year. Although all the participating athletes have agreed to wear uniforms that cover them from head to toe, the organizers are still worried that men might sneak in to have a look at what is going on. To solve the problem, the authorities have decided to hold the games in a remote mountain resort. The only road leading to the resort will be sealed by an all-female unit of the paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The games will be organized and supervised by exclusively female staff and recorded by an all-female TV crew. Strange culture... BTW, his comment about Bob Costas refers to a dialog between him and Katie Couric: bq. [Saudi team enters] Couric: I love when the athletes wear their traditional clothing. This is not traditional, this is worn still in Saudi Arabia. bq. Costas: Since the wakeup call of 9/11, Americans have become more aware of aspects of Saudi society beyond the oil and their nominal status as a U.S. ally. Those aspects include widespread religious extremism and an antipathy towards women's rights, and here in Athens, there are 21 members of the Saudi delegation. None are women. bq. Couric: [Silence. For nine seconds.] Nine seconds of dead air is a definite no-no anywhere. On a prime-time like this, it's unforgivable...