AS Scotland's fastest sprinter, Ian Mackie, and Jason Livingston awaited take-off for their flight to Qatar for today's international athletics meeting, they were approached by a stewardess, who asked if they would mind exchanging places with two Muslim women.

''They were sitting beside two Arab men whom they did not know, and could not remain there, because it would have offended their strict religious code,'' said Mackie. ''Our two seats were separate, and they could sit alone, so we swopped. It was no problem.''

The incident reflects the gulf which continues to exist between the sexes in the Muslim world, yet in the Gulf tonight it will narrow slightly, when history is made in Arabia: men and women will compete together in the same athletics meeting.

Also for the first time, Arab women will be allowed to watch openly - progress even from last month's seniors' tennis event, when female spectators could watch John McEnroe only from a cordoned off enclosed area.

The concessions, which represent a sporting and cultural milestone, were announced yesterday in Doha, at the launch of what the International Amateur Athletic Federation have designated the Year of Women in Sport.

The Qataris agreed to organise a workshop on the growing role of women and sport in their society. It was attended by some 100 Qatari females - mainly physical education teachers from the segregated schools. No men were present, so they might remove their veils, and speak freely.

In the past year, all Qatari females have been allowed to drive - a privilege previously reserved for doctors and lec- turers, but women who wish to jog still do so wearing the all-enveloping obayah. Westerners may run only in the privacy of their own compound. Last year, when the event was held for men only, European female spec-tators were stoned and spat on.

Still, no Qatari women will take part tonight, and Western athletes, like Olympic 400 metres hurdles champion Deon Hemmings, have been told that they must not bare their midriffs, and must wear T-shirts and tights - despite temperatures which yesterday nudged 100 degrees. A concession on cycling shorts may yet be achieved.

Nawal el Moutawakel, Hemmings's predecessor as 1984 Olympic champion, an activist for Muslim women's rights, told the all-female meeting: ''We have to remember that the Arabic world is where the Western world was 100 years ago. Religious beliefs should be in the heart, not in the appearance.''

Mackie, the Dunfermline sprinter who saw his place as UK No.1 usurped last year by world junior champion Dwain Chambers, is paying the penalty in his first race of the year. Chambers, whose interests are looked after by the now-retired Linford Christie, is in the main 100m, against Olympic champion Donovan Bailey and world champion Maurice Greene.

Mackie, who fell out with Christie last year, is in the B event, alongside the doping-convicted Livingston.

''I'm a bit disappointed, but Dwain is in on merit - it has nothing to do with my fall-out with Linford,'' said Mackie. ''I have been working six days a week, and in the gym three times a week for months, so I'm strong, and looking forward to racing.''

He hopes there may also be a 200m run this evening. ''If I am going well, I'd like to do both the 100m and 200m at the European Cup in St Petersburg, as well as the European Championships.''

Tonight he will fly directly to Portugal for training with Welshman Colin Jackson, who meets Igor Kovacs, European indoor champion in the hurdles.

This means there will be no clash with Edinburgh rival Doug Walker in Saturday's Scottish district event at Meadowbank.

Allison Curbishley, the World Student and European under-23 400m champion, who was due to compete today, has delayed the start of her season. ''I've had a few niggles, but plan to race in Jena later this month,'' she said.

q THE Grand Prix scheduled for Jakarta a week on Saturday has been cancelled because of Indonesia's financial crisis.