Saudi ‘Sportswashing’ Is More Than Skin Deep

Two of the most important women in tennis history, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, are unhappy that the World Tennis Association finals will be played in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, this fall. They are concerned about the status of women in the kingdom, but these two sports icons are stuck with a vision of a Saudi Arabia that no longer exists.

We have both spent many years living in Saudi Arabia. We speak Arabic and have held many conversations with Saudi women—not atypical westernized activists who speak fluent English and went to university in California, but more typical Saudi women. These Saudi women are truly astonished by the progress they have made in the past five years. When we recently asked one young woman about changes brought about by Saudia Arabia’s young leader, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (known as MBS), she was enthusiastic.

“What has he done for me? He changed my life. Now I drive, have a job and wear what I like.”

These freedoms are all new and the result of deliberate government policy.

When King Faisal (1906-1975) opened Saudi Arabia’s first girls’ schools, he faced violent opposition from religious conservatives very similar to that provoked by desegregation in the United States. The king held his ground, threatened to use force and noted that once girls could read, everything else would change for them. And so it has. A decade ago, Saudi women could not open bank accounts, go to university, travel abroad or even have a cesarian delivery without their male guardians’ permission.

All of that has changed. The World Bank’s 2020 report “Women, Business, and the Law” recognized Saudi Arabia as the top reformer globally. In 2024, there are more women than men enrolled in Saudi universities.

A university degree won’t help much if you cannot find a job and for years employment opportunities for Saudi women were restricted by law. Today, most restrictions have been removed and there is an aggressive affirmative action program for hiring women in both the public and private sectors. Women receive direct subsidies for job-related childcare, transportation and training. As a result, between 2018 and 2020 Saudi Arabia’s female labor force participation rate increased by 64 percent to 33 percent.

Saudi Arabia now has its first female newspaper editors, bank executives, diplomats, TV anchors and public prosecutors. The Saudi ambassador to Washington is a woman. Women head the Saudi stock exchange and sit on the board of Saudi Aramco. All of this is a massive change.

To be clear, Saudi Arabia has long had a very poor record regarding women’s rights; and still has a long way to go in this regard. Not all of the guardianship regulations have been removed. While there are now women lawyers, there are still no female judges. The new personal status code continues to reflect some of the gender inequalities found in Islamic law. Women’s participation in the workforce is still barely half that of the United States. Yet, so long as significant improvements are being made, it would be wise to support them.

Most Saudi women are under 30 and do not want to live in their grandmothers’ kingdom. Unlike their grandmothers, many have traveled or studied abroad. Even those who have not are connected to the outside world through social media. They realize that the status of women in their country has been out of step with most of the world. Most young Saudis want jobs, social freedom, entertainment, and more equitable treatment for women. They are not turning away from the mosque, but they want to attend football games and fashion shows as well. Like any good politician, MBS is embracing his people’s aspirations and leading them where they want to go. Such efforts promote political stability.

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 development plan is designed to created jobs by diversifying the economy away from oil. Its success will require attracting foreign investment, talent, and tourists. That will require social change. Improving the status of women and promoting sports are part of the plan. Five years ago there were no ladies gyms in Saudi Arabia. Women could not attend public sporting events. Girls had no physical education classes or after-school sports. All of that has changed and made Saudi Arabia a more attractive place to live or invest.

The Saudis have also begun investing in professional sports at home and abroad. While this may very well improve their public image, public relations is not the crown prince’s sole or even most important consideration. He is equally interested in making a profit for the Public Investment Fund, promoting tourism, providing entertainment for his youthful population,and creating a sense of national pride for all Saudis.

It is emphatically in our own national interest to encourage social change in Saudi Arabia. The security and economic interests of Saudi Arabia and the United States frequently align, but conflicting values often hinder cooperation. If the Saudis succeed in bringing their society more in line with global norms, it will facilitate our cooperation on a range of issues including: Yemen, Israel, Iran, counter-terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and energy security.

While we were serving in Saudi Arabia, we hosted visits by boxing champion Mohammad Ali. We saw firsthand how his reputation and charisma inspired Saudi boys. In 2020, Saudi Arabia hosted the Ladies European Golf tour which brought new prominence to women’s golf in the kingdom. Hundreds of Saudi girls are just starting to play tennis. Evert and Navratilova could help them on their way. We do not know how open minded these two women are, but we encourage them to visit Saudi Arabia, talk with Saudi women and see for themselves what progress the Saudi people are making. Perhaps they can support it. Engagement, not condemnation, is usually the best way to promote positive change.

David H. Rundell is a former chief of mission at the American Embassy in Saudi Arabia and the author of Vision or Mirage, Saudi Arabia at the Crossroads. Ambassador Michael Gfoeller is a former political advisor to the U.S. Central Command and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

The views expressed in this article are the writers’ own.