Female athletes flee Afghanistan as Taliban bars women from sports

An Afghan nationwide feminine soccer workforce and their kinfolk have crossed into Pakistan en path to Europe and the U.S., an official on the nation’s soccer federation stated, as native media reported they have been fleeing from threats after the Taliban barred their participation in sports activities.

“There was a dedication which was given to them by the outgoing Individuals” earlier than they left Afghanistan final month, stated Farasat Ali Shah, a director on the Pakistan Soccer Federation. “They’re within the transit for Europe or America.”

A number of feminine athletes, entrepreneurs and politicians have fled Afghanistan already, fearing reprisals from the Taliban and their ultra-orthodox interpretation of Islamic regulation. The militants have sought to venture a extra average face since they took energy on Aug. 15, saying girls could be allowed to work inside the bounds of Shariah regulation. However their actions have been in dissonance from that stance.

Aside from barring girls from taking part in sports activities, the militant group has additionally stated they will solely attend college if the school rooms are segregated and they’re taught by feminine instructors.

The group has stated that anybody who desires to go away Afghanistan and has legitimate journey paperwork is free to go away, however getting in another country is difficult as a result of Kabul’s most important airport stays closed for civilian flights.

The soccer workforce entered neighboring Pakistan by way of the land route and have legitimate passports. They have been issued Pakistani visas by the embassy in Kabul and with the permission of the Taliban authorities, Shah stated.

Bilal Karimi, a spokesman for the Taliban, stated he has no data on the matter and was looking for solutions from these involved.

“No coordination has been made on this respect with these accountable within the Islamic Emirate,” he stated. “They’d have left of their very own will. We are going to verify with the Olympic or sports activities authorities however they’ve gone of their very own will,” he stated of the soccer gamers.