Saudi Arabia looks set to send women athletes to an Olympics for the first time later this year, Reuters reported.
The Saudis, Brunei and Qatar have never previously included females in their teams and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is eager to see that situation change in London in July.
The IOC said on Monday that Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee officials presented a list of potential candidates for the London Games during a meeting at its headquarters in Lausanne last week.
Human Rights Watch criticized Olympic organizers last month for what it said was their tolerance of gender discrimination by the Gulf Arab states of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as well as the tiny southeast Asian nation of Brunei.
Qatar, bidding to host the 2020 Games, said last month it would send female athletes to the Olympics for the first time.
The IOC has offered Qatar wildcard invitations for two female athletes to compete in London, swimmer Nada Arkaji and sprinter Noor al-Malki.
Sport in the patriarchal society of Saudi Arabia has long been reserved as an activity for men, with stadiums prohibiting females.
