Over the last few years, Saudi Arabian women have been breaking barriers in the fields of sports: as leaders such as Princess Reema Bint Bandar Bin Sultan who became the first Saudi woman to head the Saudi Federation for Community Sports; to organizing the first Gulf Women’s Football Tournament. This week, 30 Saudi women achieved another first for the Kingdom when it comes to sports, this time by becoming Saudi Arabia’s first-ever female doping control officers.
This first batch of officers were awarded their doping control officer (DCO) certificates by Vice President of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) Prince Fahad Bin Jalawi and Princess Dilayel Bint Nahar, director of sports and federations relations at SAOC. The milestone event was held at Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Olympic Complex in Riyadh and was overseen by Secretary-General Abdulaziz Almsaad.
During the event, Prince Fahad Bin Jalawi thanked the officers for their commitment to the program and wished them the very best in their upcoming roles. He also expressed pride in the nation’s women and their determination to have a significant presence in the field of sports.
The receival of the certificates officially marked the completion of a three-day training course organized by the Saudi Arabian Anti-Doping Committee (SAADC) under supervision of President Dr. Mohammed Salih Alqunbaz. The workshop, which included both written and practical examinations, covered key aspects of their role such as detection, awareness, and training. Indeed, the job of doping officers is one that requires great tact, integrity, professionalism, and sensitivity, as they are responsible for the collection and processing of urine and blood samples taken from athletes during competitive events, training, and even at their homes.
