Saudi Arabia’s 1st female judoka out of Olympics
FILE – In this , Friday, July 27, 2012 file photo, Saudi Arabia’s Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani, parades, along with her team, during the Opening Ceremony at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Talks have been underway to allow Shahrkhani, a judo athlete, to compete for Saudi Arabia at the Olympics after the sport’s governing federation said she would not be allowed to wear a headscarf. Saudi Arabia, which sent its first two female Olympians to the London Games, had only agreed to let women participate if they adhered to the kingdom’s conservative Islamic traditions, including wearing a headscarf. But last Thursday, the International Judo Federation said Shahrkhani, would not be allowed to wear a headscarf because it was against principles of judo and raised safety concerns. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
LONDON — The first Saudi Arabian woman to compete in the Olympics was thrown easily in the first round of the Olympic judo competition on Friday.
Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani’s Olympic debut was also her first-ever international competition. After judo officials banned her from wearing a headscarf, Shahrkhani wore a tight-fitting black cap.
Puerto Rican judoka Melissa Mojica defeated Shahrkhani in 1 minute, 22 seconds after a slow-moving fight where Shahrkhani looked tentative and unwilling to grab her Mojica’s uniform.
Mojica flipped Shahrkhani onto her back for a match-ending throw.
