Saudi Arabia’s Princess Reema bint Bandar al-Saud has been elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Her inclusion was approved during the IOC’s 136th session.
The IOC made the announcement of her election on Friday. She is one of four new members to the organisation that has 105 members.
Her Royal Highness posted about her new role on her official Twitter account thanking King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed and Prince Abdulaziz Al Saud; the latter is the Kingdom’s Minister of Sports.
She said: “Honored [sic] to be elected as a member of #IOC. Thank you to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, HRH Crown Prince, and @AbdulazizTF for their support. It has been an honor [sic] to serve my community through the universal language of sports.”
The Princess has held various leadership roles in the Kingdom and around the world including the International Olympic Committee Women in Sports Commission, as well as the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee and the Saudi General Sports Authority’s (GSA) Deputy of Planning and Development.
Princess Reema is the Saudi Ambassador to the United States, and she assumed that post last year. She is Saudi Arabia’s first female ambassador to any country.
Her father, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, served as the Kingdom’s Ambassador to the US from 1983 to 2005. Prince Bandar was a friend of President George W. Bush with some jokingly calling him Bandar Bush due to the pair’s close friendship.
