Saudi Women to London

Saudi Arabia will finally, definitely have women in the 2012 Olympics:

"Just about a month before the Olympic Games kick off in London, Saudi Arabia has taken the historic step to allow women to participate for the first time as part of the official team.

"The decision was announced in a three-paragraph statement issued by the Saudi Embassy in London on Sunday evening...

"An embassy official declined to provide further details on the decision. However, a BBC report quoting senior Saudi officials said the move came after “secret meetings” during which 'a consensus was reached in mid-June between the King, the Crown Prince, the Foreign Minister, leading religious cleric, the Grand Mufti and others, to overturn the ban [on women’s participation]'."

I'm not sure the announcement could have been any more low key than releasing a short written statement from a foreign embassy on a Sunday.