Middle East’s female Olympians

Saudi Arabia’s and Qatar’s decision to send female athletes to London makes the 2012 Games the first where every country has a woman on its team.

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Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani — Saudi Arabia

Shaherkani gestures as she walks with the Saudi contingent during the London Games’ Opening Ceremonies. Saudi Arabia's first female Olympic athletes dressed in traditional hijabs for the festivities. International Judo Federation President Marius L. Vizer said Shaherkani, 16, would have to fight without a hijab, a decision that is likely to cause controversy in Saudi Arabia, where women’s participation in sports has long been a contentious issue.

Suzanne Plunkett / Reuters

Neda Shahsavari — Iran

Shahsavari, 25, Iran's first woman to compete in table tennis at the Olympics, eyes the ball during a practice session in Tehran in early July. Shahsavari said she was "thrilled" to be going to the London Games.

Atta Kenare / AFP/Getty Images

Alice Schlesinger — Israel

Schlesinger grabs France's Gevrise Emane from behind during a women's 63-kilogram judo match at the London Games. Schlesinger, 24, lost to Emane in a repechage contest during the quarterfinals; Emane went on to win bronze.

Franck Fife / AFP/Getty Images

Isil Alben — Turkey

Turkish guard Alben, 26, right, vies with Angolan guard Catarina Camufal during a preliminary round Group A basketball match at the Summer Games. Turkey won 72-50.

Mark Ralston / AFP/Getty Images

Sarah Alflaij — Bahrain

Alflaij listens to her coach, Tareq Jumaa, during a training session at Shaikh Khalifa Sports City’s pool in Isa Town, south of Manama, Bahrain’s capital. Alflaij, 16, is one of eight women who qualified to compete in the Games for Bahrain.

/ AFP/Getty Images

Thuraia Sobh -- Syria

Sobh competes during the women's 75-kg weightlifting competition at the Summer Olympics.

Andrew Medichini / AP

Lee-El Korsiz — Israel

Korsiz, 28, competes in RS-X sailing at England’s Weymouth Harbor.

Clive Mason / Getty Images

Sarah Attar — Saudi Arabia

Attar, 19, enters the stadium during the Opening Ceremonies. The track athlete runs the women’s 800 meters.

Cameron Spencer / Getty Images

Sara Mohamed Baraka and Fatma Rashed — Egypt

Baraka, 20, and Rashed, 28, compete in the lightweight double sculls competition at Eton Dorney in Windsor, England.

Harry How / Getty Images

Bahya Mansour al-Hamad — Qatar

Hamad, 20, competes during a 10-meter air rifle qualification round at the Royal Artillery Barracks in London.

Khaled Desouki / AFP/Getty Images

Nurdan Karagoz — Turkey

Karagoz, 25, musters her strength during the 48-kilogram Group A weightlifting competition at the Summer Games.

Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images

Neslihan Darnel — Turkey

Darnel, 28, spikes the ball as Qiuyue Wei, No. 8, and Yunwen Ma, No. 15., of China defend during women's volleyball at Earls Court in London.

Elsa / Getty Images

Khadija Mohammad — United Arab Emirates

Coach Najwan al-Zawawi assists Khadija Mohammad, 17, during a practice in Dubai. Mohammad competes in weightlifting’s 75-kilogram category and is the first female lifter from the Persian Gulf region to compete in the Olympics.

Kamran Jebreili / AP

Valeriia Maksiuta — Israel

Maksiuta, 24, falls off the uneven bars during the women's Olympic qualification round for artistic gymnastics.

Matt Dunham / AP

Sarra Besbes — Tunisia

Besbes, 23, celebrates after a point against Xiaojuan Luo of China during an epee fencing round at the Summer Games.

Hannah Johnston / Getty Images

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