(ATR) UN special adviser on sport Wilfried Lemke tells Around the Rings he is right behind the IOC's calls for the Saudi Olympic Committee to send female athletes to London 2012.
"The UN supports – and I personally hope – that every National Olympic Committee, including Saudi Arabia, sends a minimum of one or two female representatives to London," Lemke told ATR on the sidelines of the World Olympic Sport Convention in Moscow.
"It is a very strong message for all people around the world that every country that is part of the Olympic Movement sends their athletes, female and male.
"I am looking for the IOC member from Saudi Arabia to endorse the IOC's position. The IOC is right in asking them to send female participants to London."
His comments come just days after IOC member and Saudi Arabia NOC president Prince Nawaf bin Faisal insisted he was not in favor of sending female athletes to compete at the London Games while confirming that his ultraconservative government had no plans to back their participation.
IOC president Jacques Rogge said on Saturday that discussions with the Saudi NOC were ongoing in a bid to ensure the country included females athletes in its delegation for London 2012. A woman has yet to represent Saudi Arabia at any Olympic Games.
Lemke also gave his views to ATR on the importance of governments working together with sports organizations like the NOCs without interfering in their affairs.
"Governments must accept that sport is a specific area, and that sports bodies are autonomous and have the right to have their own regulations," he told ATR.
"For me it is so importantthat the governments don't interfere into the sports entities. However, sports organizations have to continuously earn this right and have a clear obligation to ensure good governance and transparency in order that governments can be assured that the autonomy is administered correctly.
"It is important governments and sports organizations collaborate closely, and that they mutually respect their areas of competence."
Lemke was one of the speakers on the second and final day of the World Olympic Sport Convention.
Reported in Moscow by Mark Bisson
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