Refusal of the Paralympics, flight of football officials and support for cricket: how the situation in Afghanistan affected sports

The establishment of the Taliban * in Afghanistan has had a huge impact on the sporting life of the state.

The very next day after Kabul passed into the hands of the mujahideen, it was announced that the country would refuse to participate in the Summer Paralympic Games in Tokyo, which would begin on August 24.

This information was confirmed by the press secretary of the International Paralympic Committee Craig Spence.

He stated that the two Afghan athletes who were supposed to fly to Japan no longer have this option.

“Unfortunately, the Afghan National Paralympic Committee will no longer participate in the 2020 Paralympic Games. Due to the current tense situation in the country, all airports are closed and there is no way for them to get to Tokyo.

We hope that the team and officials are safe and healthy during this difficult time, ”The Japan Times quoted Spence as saying.

Afghanistan at the Paralympics was to be represented by taekwondo fighters Zakia Hudadadi and Hossein Rasuli.

In Tokyo, this sport will be included in the program of the main competitions for the first time.

Khudadadi was to become the first participant in the Paralympic Games from her country, which was previously only represented by men.

The fact that Afghanistan will not perform in Tokyo was also announced by the team leader Arian Sadiki.

On August 12, he posted a photo of his Paralympic accreditation on Twitter, but four days later wrote that the team should not be expected in Japan.

“The Afghan National Paralympic Committee has dreamed of taking part in the Tokyo 2020 Games, but these unfortunate circumstances make it almost impossible.

Pray for us, ”Sadiki said.

In the past, when the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan for the first time, athletes from that country were also unable to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The IOC imposed sanctions on the team for violations of women's rights, and they missed the Sydney Games in 2000.

Later, when the regime collapsed, the country returned to the international sports arena.

In 2008, taekwondo fighter Rohullah Nikpai won the first Olympic bronze medal for Afghanistan, and four years later he repeated his success.

Afghan football is now under threat, too.

Outlook India reported that the leadership of the Football Federation of Afghanistan has asked for asylum in India.

Now former functionaries fear that the Taliban will repress them for the development of women's football in the country.

Recently, the Afghan national team did not have the opportunity to play on their territory due to the war.

The team played their home games in the qualifying tournament for the 2022 World Cup in Tajikistan or Qatar.

In February, Afghan footballers are due to gather again for qualifying matches for the Asian Championship, but now it is difficult to say if the national team will continue to play in this situation.

At the same time, it cannot be said that sports life in Afghanistan will completely disappear with the arrival of the Taliban.

According to the available information, they will not hinder the development of cricket in the country.

The executive director of the local federation, Hamid Shinwari, said that the new authorities are good about the sport and will support it.

The Taliban love cricket.

They supported us from the very beginning.

They did not interfere in our affairs.

I do not see any interference and count on support for the further development of cricket.

We have an acting chairman, I remain the executive director until further notice, "- quoted Shinwari News18.

Journalists of the publication note that the Taliban influenced the development of cricket in Afghanistan.

In the late 1990s, many residents fled to Pakistan, where they became familiar with the game and then brought it home.

As a result, Afghanistan has become one of the leaders of cricket in a matter of years and now occupies the seventh place in the world ranking.

These days, the players are at the training camp in Kabul and continue training.

They are preparing for the matches with Pakistan, which will be held from September 1 to 5 in Sri Lanka.

According to Shinwari, they are not in danger.

* "Taliban" - the organization was recognized as terrorist by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of February 14, 2003.