ABSTRACT
For the past 20 years, female athletic participation in the Middle East has been increasing. In the conservative Gulf region, female athleticism has been met with a degree of ambivalence, as questions arise over the appropriate role for women in society. While female sports have been studied in Gulf countries such as Kuwait and Bahrain, the region’s burgeoning superpower, Qatar, remains under-examined. The present research fills this gap by exploring issues for female athletes in Doha, the nation’s capital and most populous city. Female athletes in Qatar encounter numerous barriers to participation, including issues related to religion, family and changing gender dynamics. While female athletic participation is on the upswing in Qatar, overall rates of involvement remain somewhat low. This article examines the cultural barriers that inhibit female sports participation in Qatar.
