Female Saudi flag bearers miss opener

Six Saudi female teenagers slated to serve as their country’s flag bearers at the World Cup’s opening match in Moscow yesterday were replaced by Russians after their trip was cancelled due to “logistical circumstances”, organisers said.

Named flag bearers as part of a programme run by Coca-Cola, the girls, aged 13 to 17, were supposed to lead the Saudi national team onto the pitch at Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium ahead of their match against Russia. But the organisers said they could no longer make it.

“Due to unforeseen logistical circumstances, the Saudi flag bearers’ delegation will unfortunately no longer be able to attend the opening of the 2018 FIFA World Cup,” Coca-Cola said in a statement to Reuters.

Omar Bennis, public affairs director at Coca-Cola Middle East, declined to disclose the nature of the logistical issues. He said it was not related to their gender.