Since the Taliban took power, sport has been virtually banned for women and girls in Afghanistan. However, some train in secret and have to fear dire consequences
Bahar meets up with her friends in the midday heat of Kabul. She takes off her headscarf in a private garden, away from the public eye, of course. For a moment, the Afghan women pursue their great passion together. During boxing training, they escape from their complicated everyday lives under Taliban rule. But Bahar and Co. are always accompanied by the fear of being caught by the draconian rulers.
“When we box, everything is forgotten for a moment. Even if we only train for a few minutes, it makes a big difference,” says the 20-year-old to the AFP news agency. Even her husband doesn’t know that she still boxes – and for good reason: since the Taliban took power in 2021, the already precarious situation of women and girls in Afghanistan has worsened dramatically, and sport is virtually forbidden to them.
The Taliban authorities, who are not recognized by any state, have enforced a strict interpretation of Islamic law, with women bearing the brunt of the restrictions. The United Nations refers to this as “gender apartheid”. According to the law, women have even been denied access to gyms and parks since November 2022 because they would otherwise not comply with the dress code, which requires them to veil themselves.
Women’s sports banned in Afghanistan
Fearing the Taliban, 25-year-old Sanah only goes for an early morning walk on the streets of Kabul – but even then she cannot move freely. “We can’t go near the Taliban checkpoints because they say: ‘Why are you outside the house so early? Where are you going? Why do you have to do sports, you don’t have to, so don’t,’” says Sanah. Like all the other women interviewed by AFP, she does not want to reveal her real name for fear of reprisals.
Achieving a minimum level of health and peace of mind through sport? Not possible for women in Afghanistan. “The doctor told me to exercise more because I have high cholesterol and a fatty liver, but the Taliban won’t let us exercise, go to the gym or go for a walk outside,” explains Sanah’s good friend Latifah. Instead, she was recently forcibly removed from a park.
