Excerpt from the speech Delivered By

H.E. THE PRESIDENT OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

IN THE OPENING CEREMONY

OF THE FIRST ISLAMIC COUNTRIES' WOMEN SPORTS SOLIDARITY CONGRESS.

IN THE NAME OF GOD

I hope this Congress will succeed in achieving the sacred goals for which it has been planned and wish to welcome the respectful guests to this Congress and further hope that the successful outcome of this program will also serve to encourage others concerned.

As far as "Women Sport" in the Muslim Communities are concerned, we face serious problems to which we must find serious problems to which we must find appropriate solution. Sport for women today is an inevitable must; however, the problem lies in the current manner of the practice of sport in the World and Regional Competitions. We value all those who have respect for purity and continence and for restrictions thereby applied by our Religion on women as well as men in view of "Fitrah" and the realities of creation.

The Olympics, at the outset, bore witness to a serious confrontation between women who did not want to appear in the Olympic sciences and on the other side, western planners who pressured them to do so. Late on, women's resistance was overcome and women sport was led to turn into such which is practiced today. Muslims should be careful that women do not get involved with undesirable consequences of such sports and on the other hand we should do our best to fulfill their needs. As one of the bases of Muslims World, in the Islamic Revolution which is governed by the rules of Islam, we have initiated such issue--by calling together in this Congress experts from the Islamic Countries and those individuals who have belief in preserving the purity of women and in the teachings of Islam--to prevent the corruption which may result from simultaneous presence of men and women athletes in one and the same arena.

The Congress, being as initiating approach can discuss about all the related technical, scientific and ethical issues. The main topics to be dealt with in this Congress are to find appropriate and applicable methods for the practice of sport by women and to develop Islamic Cooperation's. Presently there are fifty Muslim Countries which can organize their sport in a manner that women may also benefit from this gift preventing them from being affected by decadent Western Culture.

You should endeavor in this congress to make use of others' experiences and of those other Muslim Countries who have made investments on this issue and have scientific experiences.

In concluding, I hope your discussion in this congress will have fruitful results.