The story of the first women-only rally in Arabia

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In the vastness of saudi desert calm reigns. Kilometers of sandy orange follow one another with hardly a hint of civilization. Only silence accompanies the warm and soft wind. But suddenly, in the distance, a moving white dot appears. While ride the dunes, kicking up a wave of dust in its wake. Thirty more follow. Are 4×4 cars who break the peace of the desert unapologetically. Inside, behind the wheel, there 35 couples of women of all the world. Half are Saudis. They have been enjoying the right to drive. Now they have taken over the desert for a few days.

During the month of March, Saudi Arabia celebrated the Rally Jameel, which means beautiful in Arabic. “A competition for all those women who have a sense of adventure and courage& rdquor ;, it was announced. In the first sailing rally exclusively for women in Saudi Arabia and throughout the region, the 70 participants, coming from 15 different countries, toured more than 1,000 kilometers through the desert in three days. Competition depended on navigation, checkpoints, and planning skills, not speed. For this reason, the rapport between the pilot and co-pilot has been key.

“It has been a brutal experience & rdquor ;, says Dania Akel to THE NEWSPAPER. Although she was already the first Saudi woman to participate in an international rally competition, this was her first race based on sailing. Aboard a Toyota Land Cruiser GR, Akeel mastered the wheel thanks to the help of her co-driver, the Spanish Susana Hernando. They were in tenth position. “This competition is important to give these women a platform to express your passion; we are very lucky that this event took place & rdquor ;, he adds. Although they were all rivals, Akeel is left with the fortune of having been able to “connect with other women interested in this sport & rdquor ;.

right to drive

This pioneering competition gains relevance by being the Saudi authorities themselves Who has organized it? Those same authorities that until June 2018 They imprisoned those women who dared to drive. “Over the last few years, there have been some improvements regarding the rights of women in Saudi Arabia, such as the right to drive or travel without the authorization of a male relative, and some progress in the workplace & rdquor ;, explains Charles of the Herasresponsible for human rights and sports of Amnesty Internationall. Despite these gains, many of the activists who fought for women’s right to drive remain behind bars, on parole or suspended sentences.

after passing three years in prisonLujain Al Hazlul, one of the visible faces of the Saudi struggle for the right to drive, is prohibited from leaving the country, contacting foreign media or human rights organizations. While activists like Al-Hazlul are forced to abandon these campaigns –which, in some way, have made the Jameel Rally possible– dozens of participants from all over the world enjoy their work. This sporting event is part of the Vision 2030. With this strategy, the crown prince and de facto ruler, Mohamed Bin Salman, intends reduce dependence on oil of the Saudi economy.

This pioneering competition gains relevance as it is the Saudi authorities themselves who have organized it. Those same authorities that until June 2018, imprisoned those women who dared to drive.

Spanish third place

“All the women in the rally are heroines & rdquor ;, said the winner Annie Seal, along with his co-driver Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky. This Swedish pair took the top spot on the podium, followed by Emirati driver Atefa Saleh and her American partner Eleanor Cooker. The Saudi Maha Al Hamly was done with him bronze shared with his co-driver, the Spanish Pochola Hernández. But from organizations like Amnesty, they insist on the importance of celebrating these milestones with suspicion. “This is one more strategy of the Saudi authorities to whiten your image abroad&rdquor ;, denounces De Las Heras to this newspaper.

There are many international sporting events held on Saudi soil: the Spanish Super Cup, Formula 1, the Dakar Rally… According to a March 2021 Grant Liberty organization report, Saudi Arabia has spent $1.5 billion in holding this kind of high-profile sports dating. “They use them to offer the outside world an open and reformist image while the human rights situation in the country is quite complicated,” says the Amnesty representative. “So, they make up the human rights violations within the kingdom & rdquor ;, he adds.

sportswashing saudi

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This strategy is known as sportswashing and is based on the use of sport by oppressive regimes to legitimize their regimes and distract attention from their human rights abuses. “The purchase of big clubs like Newcastle in England is also sportswashing”, says De Las Heras. “These opening symptoms are a clear strategy to silence critical voices In a regime where the freedom of expression It is very limited and restricted, especially for women & rdquor ;, he explains to this newspaper.

“All the women in rallying are heroes”, said winner Annie Seel of the Swedish team formed with her co-driver Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky.

But that feeling of freedom that these pilots feel behind the wheel exists. “Holding competitions like the Jameel Rally has an impact & rdquor ;, remembers Akeel. And although it is no coincidence that the meeting point for so many women is the Saudi desert, it is in that union of dreamers from different corners of the planet where something new is born. “Events like this show the younger generations that it is possible to become a rally driver and it can encourage them to do something they love & rdquor ;, she celebrates hopefully.



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