Saudi Gazette report
JEDDAH — In another remarkable achievement for Saudi women and for Saudi sports as a whole, Princess Reema Bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, was elected a member of the International Olympic Committee on Friday.
Princess Reema is the third Saudi to hold this position after the late Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Bin Abdulaziz (1999-1983), and Prince Nawwaf Bin Faisal Bin Fahd (2014-2001).
Commenting on her new election, Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al Faisal, the president of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman for their continued support to all sports, both internally and externally.
Prince Abdulaziz, who is also the minister of sports, congratulated Princess Reema on her election, saying that it confirms the ability of Saudi sports cadres to be present on an international level in organizations such as the IOC, which is the highest sporting authority in the world. Where she, along with her colleagues can work towards upholding Olympic values and promoting Olympism in Saudi Arabia and the world.
Princess Reema in her reaction said that she was honored to be chosen for this position, noting that her victory came thanks to the generous support that she found from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Crown Prince, and the minister of sports.
It has been an honor to serve my community through the universal language of sports, she added.
Princess Reema won the membership of the committee alongside Lord Mr.Sebastian Coe, Maria de la Caridad, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, and Battushig Batbold.
During her career, Princess Reema became one of the most prominent Saudi sports personalities.
She was Deputy for Women Affairs at the General Sports Authority, now Ministry of Sports (2017-2016), Deputy of Planning and Development at the General Sports Authority, now Ministry of Sports (2019-2017), President of the Saudi Mass Participation Federation, now named Sports For All Federation (2019-2017), and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee since 2017, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Sports for All Federation from 2019 until the present.
