RASC News Agency: Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, has called on sports organizations within and outside of Afghanistan to support the country’s women athletes. On Tuesday, July 9, Bennett expressed his concerns through a message on X (formerly Twitter) regarding the lack of support from the Taliban for Afghanistani women athletes participating in the Paris Olympics.
He emphasized that Afghanistani women and girls have the right to participate in sports competitions and expressed his eagerness to see the talented and inspiring women and men of Afghanistan compete in the Paris Olympics and Paralympics. This year, three women from Afghanistan are participating in cycling and track and field events at the Paris Olympics. Additionally, three men are representing Afghanistan, two of whom have joined from abroad.
The spokesperson for the Afghanistan Olympic Committee, now under Taliban control, stated that the committee does not recognize the three women participating in the Paris Olympics and affirmed that only the three male athletes are recognized as representatives of Afghanistan. These six Afghanistani athletes were invited to the Paris Olympics by the International Olympic Committee in consultation with former officials of the Afghanistan Olympic Committee, who are currently in exile.
Since the Taliban regained control of the country, they have excluded women from public life and barred them from sports. As a result, many women athletes have fled the country and now live in exile.
