'It Takes Courage': Saudi Arabia's Women Cyclists Break Norms

For years, Samar Rahbini thought it would be "impossible" to cycle in the streets of conservative Saudi Arabia, where women's sport was long frowned upon

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Sep, 2021 ) :For years, Samar Rahbini thought it would be "impossible" to cycle in the streets of conservative Saudi Arabia, where women's sport was long frowned upon.

Now she runs the "Courage" mixed-gender cycling club in Jeddah.

"I chose the name 'Courage' because what we are doing takes courage... to go out on the streets and practise in public and in crowded places," she told AFP.

In the past, the involvement of Saudi women in sport has been met with hostility from some conservatives who see it as immoral and a gateway to indecent acts.

But now women's cycling has become far more common in Jeddah, where Rahbini and her friends glided past cars on a recent ride.

She was wearing a black tracksuit, white jacket and a helmet, with her hair flowing underneath in the wind.

"Now, the large number of women who cycle on almost a daily basis have made female cycling a familiar thing," said Rahbini, whose club has hundreds of women members.

Rahbini, who organises bike tours and gives riding lessons twice a week, said she hopes to see more women and girls involved in cycling.

The "Courage" club rents out bikes and all the necessary equipment for a small fee, or for free for those who cannot afford it, she said.

For Fatima Salem, 44, cycling is not only fun but a great way to stay fit.

"I used to cycle when I was a child, and it took me a long time to take it up again," said the mother of four, who wore a headscarf and a pink T-shirt over her long-sleeved tracksuit.

While Saudi Arabia is not equipped with bike lanes, Rahbini hopes that will soon change, urging the government to set up proper infrastructure.