Outside: The Story of Qatari Women’s Cycling

Abstract

Qatar has used sport to portray itself as a modern progressive society for over 50 years. But the country’s sportswomen have been conspicuous by their absence throughout this period. The widely held belief that has emerged as a result is that Qatari women simply don’t do sport. However, a report published by the Josoor Institute in 2021 shows not only the opposite to be the case, but that the number of Qatari women taking part in various sports is growing annually. Cycling is one such sport that has experienced an increase in the number of women participants. Was there a specific effort to promote Qatari women’s cycling in the country by the Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation (QCTF), the sport’s governing body, and how did these riders adapt to an explicitly Eurocentric environment dominated almost singularly by competitive racing? This study tells the story of Qatari women’s cycling, from the unfulfilled aspirations of the Ladies Tour of Qatar to the short-lived Qatar women’s national team, to ultimately how dissatisfaction with the QCTF’s Eurocentric bias led to these riders creating their own cycling community in Qatar, one specifically tailored to their cultural requirements.