SPORTS DESK
PARIS: Samira Asghari, Afghanistan’s representative on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has voiced cautious optimism that sustained engagement with the Taliban could eventually lead to a change in their policies toward women’s education and participation in sport.
Asghari, 31, who is living in exile for the second time, believes Afghanistan’s rulers must confront a clear reality: meaningful international recognition will remain out of reach unless women’s fundamental rights are respected. Despite the personal risks involved, she supports maintaining dialogue with those in power.
Since returning to control, the Taliban have barred girls from continuing school beyond the age of 12, restricted women from most forms of employment and public life, and effectively banned them from sports. Asghari, who made history in 2018 as Afghanistan’s first-ever IOC member, acknowledges that advocating for women’s sports under such conditions is difficult and requires caution.
Even so, the former international basketball player has remained outspoken, joining many other Afghan women athletes who continue to challenge the restrictions. In an email interview, she said taking a public position on women’s rights often comes with serious personal consequences, but silence is not an option.
“As long as the Taliban remain in control, doing nothing is not a choice,” she said, adding that her role has involved helping facilitate discussions between the IOC and Afghanistan’s current authorities, with a particular focus on safeguarding sports opportunities for women and girls, especially those still attending primary school.
Asghari, who comes from a family closely linked to sports — her father once worked with the Afghan Olympic Committee — admitted that such conversations are rarely straightforward. However, she stressed that engagement does not equate to legitimising any government, but rather aims to preserve opportunities for future generations.
With many Afghan sportswomen now scattered across different countries, forming national teams has become increasingly complicated. Nonetheless, Afghan Women United, a women’s football team composed of players based in Europe and Australia, recently took part in the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 in Morocco.
She described this international support for athletes in exile as an initial step and expressed hope that FIFA’s efforts could complement ongoing talks between the IOC and Taliban authorities.
Asghari warned that Afghanistan’s leadership risks long-term isolation by ignoring basic human rights. She argued that continued repression, particularly of women, is unsustainable and directly undermines the country’s prospects for global acceptance.
Reflecting on her attendance at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh — where Afghan men and women competed — she said such moments offered faint but important signs of progress. She believes even limited openings, such as promoting sports in primary schools where girls are still permitted to study up to sixth grade, should be pursued.
“This is not about endorsing restrictions,” she said. “It’s about ensuring Afghan girls and women are not abandoned while we continue to push for real change.”
Drawing on memories from the Taliban’s previous rule between 1996 and 2001, Asghari expressed deep concern about the risk of another “lost generation.” She recalled returning from exile in Iran to classrooms where women in their twenties were forced to resume education alongside much younger students because they had been denied schooling for years.
“I cannot accept seeing that happen again,” she said, adding that even modest advances could help prevent lasting damage.
Despite the grim circumstances, Asghari remains hopeful. She insists that persistent dialogue and engagement, however challenging, are essential to securing a better future for Afghanistan’s youth.
“The country’s future lies with its young people,” she said. “We must keep every door open for them, no matter how small the opportunity, and never give up.”
Read more: https://nayakashmir.com/pakistan-womens-football-team-set-for-first-ever-appearance-in-fifa-event/
