(CNN) Saudi Arabia is launching a soccer league for women, another gesture toward loosening some of the strict rules that are still imposed on women living in the ultra-conservative kingdom.

Until recently, Saudi women were mostly barred from participating in sports in public. But the country has been under pressure from various sports governing organizations to allow women to take part in international events.

When Saudi Arabia agreed to send its first female athletes to the Olympics in 2012, it was the last country to submit to the pressure from the International Olympic Committee for more gender equality.

The new soccer league could be another step in that direction.

"The commencement of the Saudi Women's Football League is one more major leap forward for the future of our country, our health, our youth, and our ambitions to see every athlete be recognized and nurtured to their fullest capability," Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, the president of the Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA), said in a statement on Monday.

Source: CNN

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