Taliban has stated it does not recognize the three female athletes set to represent Afghanistan at the Paris Olympic Games this month, according to a report by AFP.
A spokesman for the Taliban-run Afghanistan National Olympic Committee, Atal Mashwani, told AFP that only three athletes, all men, will officially represent Afghanistan at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) events. “Only three athletes are representing Afghanistan,” Mashwani said, referring exclusively to the male competitors. He added, “When girls’ sport isn’t practiced, how can they go on the national team?”
The six Afghan athletes who will compete in Paris include three women and three men, chosen in consultation with Afghanistan’s largely exiled national Olympic committee. Five of these athletes live outside Afghanistan in exile. The only athlete training within the country is a judo fighter, while his teammates will compete in athletics and swimming.
Since the Taliban’s return to power, they have imposed severe restrictions on women and girls, including banning them from participating in sports. This has led many Afghan female athletes to flee the country to continue their training and careers abroad.
