Afghanistan’s Taliban government has stated that it only recognizes and supports three male athletes representing the country at the upcoming Paris Olympic Games, dismissing the participation of three female athletes who were invited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This announcement was made by Atal Mashwani, the spokesman for the Taliban government’s sports directorate, highlighting the ongoing restrictions on women’s sports in Afghanistan.
The IOC, in coordination with Afghanistan’s largely exiled national Olympic committee, extended invitations to six Afghan athletes — three women and three men. However, the Taliban’s sports spokesman emphasized that “only three athletes are representing Afghanistan,” referring exclusively to the male participants. Mashwani justified the exclusion of female athletes by stating, “Currently, in Afghanistan, girls’ sports have been stopped. When girls’ sport isn’t practiced, how can they go on the national team?”
The female athletes, along with two of their male counterparts, are living and training outside Afghanistan. The sole male athlete preparing within the country is a judo fighter, while the others will compete in athletics and swimming. The female athletes will participate in athletics and cycling events.
The IOC clarified that it did not engage with Taliban officials regarding the Afghan Olympic team, instead maintaining communication solely with Afghanistan’s national Olympic committee. IOC spokesman Mark Adams affirmed that the committee, led by its president and secretary-general in exile, remains the “sole interlocutors for the preparation and participation of the Afghan team.” Despite this, Afghan committee CEO Dad Mohammad Payenda Akhtari, who resides in Afghanistan, indicated that while female athletes were managed abroad, his committee coordinated with the Taliban authorities concerning the male athletes.
Mashwani asserted that the Taliban government is providing support to the male athletes through training and scholarships, saying, “We only take the responsibility for three male athletes participating in the Olympics.”
The Afghan athletes will compete under the flag of the former Western-backed government, which fell following the withdrawal of US troops three years ago. Since their return to power in 2021, the Taliban has imposed severe restrictions that have pushed women out of sports, as well as secondary schools and universities. These measures have drawn international condemnation, with the United Nations labeling them as “gender apartheid.”
This situation echoes the previous period of Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, during which women were also banned from participating in sports. The IOC had banned Afghanistan from the Olympics in 1999 due to these restrictions. Following the Taliban’s ousting after the post-9/11 invasion, Afghanistan was reinstated in the Olympic community. However, the Paris 2024 Games will be the first Summer Olympics since the Taliban’s resurgence to power.
In response to these challenges, the IOC has adopted a different strategy, allowing the Afghan team to participate under a system designed to ensure representation from all 206 nations, especially in cases where athletes might not otherwise qualify. This approach seeks to maintain inclusivity and support for athletes despite the political and social turmoil in their home countries.
The participation of Afghan female athletes in the Paris Olympics symbolizes a broader struggle for women’s rights and representation in sports under the Taliban regime. Their presence at the games, despite the government’s lack of recognition, stands as a testament to their resilience and determination to pursue their athletic dreams against formidable odds.
