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LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Prince Nawaf Faisal Fahd bin Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia has resigned as a member of the International Olympic Committee.
The IOC says on Friday the prince stepped down as president of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee. He automatically relinquishes his IOC membership because it was contingent on his Saudi role.
No reason was given for his resignation.
The IOC says in a statement that IOC President Thomas Bach "thanked His Royal Highness for his contribution to the Olympic movement."
Bach met with the prince in Riyadh in April to discuss increasing the participation of female athletes from the ultra-conservative Muslim country in the Olympics.
Saudi women are largely banned from participating in sports in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia sent women to the Olympics for the first time in 2012, with two competing at the London Games.
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