Saudi Arabia Sending Two Women to London Olympics

(NEW YORK) -- Saudi Arabia will send two female athletes to compete in the Olympic games for the first time, the BBC reports.

Sarah Attar is set to compete in the 800-meter run and Woodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani will compete in judo. Saudi officials lifted  a prohibition on women competing in the games in June; many Saudi religious conservatives vehemently oppose the decision, the BBC reports.

The International Olympic Committee had been communicating with the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee about the issue in an effort to have balanced representation of the sexes.

The move means that there will be a female competitor from every competing nation for the first time in the history of the games.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio