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Originally posted by rubberneck
The story said 5 countries but only mentioned Saudi Arabia and Qatar by name (I think it was a not so subtle jab at our "allies"). I'll try and run down the others later on but I suspect Iran and Syria will be two of the remaining three. The story did mention that Pakistan sent 1 woman who was the first woman ever to compete from Pakistan
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The Syrian team has at least one female member. Syria is a secular Ba'athist state, not Islamist, and by Arab standards actually was a pioneer for women's rights.
Iran's team has one female member, Nassim Hassanpour. She will celebrate her 20th birthday at the games on August 25. She came in 28th in the Women's 10 meter air rifle, two points ahead of Washington MPD Lieutenant "Libby" Callahan (who is twice Nassim's age).
I do not believe Oman has any females on its team. Nor does the United Arab Emirates, whose team has only four members anyway. With Saudi Arabia and Qatar, that gives you four. The fifth is Brunei, whose entire team is runner Jimmy Anak Ahar.
On the other hand, in a blow for women's rights, it appears that the entire team from Burma (Myanmar) is female - all three of them.
Quote:
Originally posted by rubberneck
...The one part that caught me a little off guard was when they interviewed an Afghani soldier who said that if she were his sister he would kill her for showing her face in public...
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Another pet peeve of mine (I got a million of 'em): "Afghani" is a unit of currency. A person from Afghanistan is an Afghan (as are the dog and the blanket).