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Rabat – Afghanistan’s Taliban government has declared its non-recognition of the country’s three female athletes selected to represent the country at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Atal Mashwani, spokesperson for the Taliban’s sports directorate, told AFP that the Afghan government only acknowledges the three male athletes slated to compete, citing the fact that they canceled all girls’ sporting activities within Afghanistan as a reason.
“Currently, in Afghanistan girls’ sports have been stopped. When girls’ sport isn’t practiced, how can they go on the national team?” he said, stressing that “only three athletes are representing Afghanistan.”
Notably, all three female athletes, along with two male counterparts, currently reside outside of Afghanistan, with only one athlete, a judo competitor, training within the country.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), said last month that it has not consulted with Taliban officials regarding the Afghan team and has instead worked with Afghanistan’s Olympic committee that is currently in exile.
The IOC’s decision to include Afghan athletes under a special provision ensures representation for all 206 nations, even when athletes do not qualify under traditional circumstances.
Read also: Women’s Rights in Afghanistan Draw International Condemnation
Despite facing international criticism and accusations of gender discrimination, the Taliban government maintains that it supports only the training and participation of male athletes.
As such, the female athletes are set to compete in athletics and cycling events under the flag of Afghanistan’s former Western-backed government, which collapsed following the withdrawal of US troops in 2021.
The Taliban’s previous rule from 1996 to 2001 was marked by severe restrictions on women’s freedoms, including limitations on education, employment, and general mobility.
Since regaining control in 2021, the Taliban have indicated some willingness to allow women to work and receive education. However, many girls’ schools have remained closed or operating under strict conditions. Women’s freedom of movement has also been restricted in various areas, and their participation in public life, including government and media, has been severely curtailed compared to previous years
