Al-Otaibi said the center, which would be opened after the Haj, overlooks the Arabian Gulf at Ras Al-Fananeer. He said the center will include a covered swimming pool, a hall for sports and entertainment activities and rooms for computers, lectures and seminars.

“The opening of the center in the two coming months represents a quantitative leap in the sport, cultural and social activities specified for women,” he said.

There has been a heated debate in the Kingdom in recent years on the issue of women athletic programs, especially regarding physical education in Saudi public schools. The issue reached the Shoura Council where a draft resolution permitting elementary, intermediate and secondary girl students to take physical education was passed.

Council member Nawwaf Al-Fagham asked the Shoura's Education Affairs Committee to consider the possibility of opening the doors for girl students to practice sport in their schools.

“There is no Shariah prohibition against this,” he pointed out at the time.

Ali Al-Nagoor, who ran for the presidency of the Ahli Sports Club in Jeddah, called three years ago for the establishment of sport facilities for women.

“I expect to see an expansion in women sport activities in the coming few years,” he predicted at the time, pointing out that the election of Arwa Mutabaqani as the first woman member of the Saudi Equestrian Federation was considered a significant development in Saudi women athletics.