Taliban: We Do Not Recognize Three Afghan Female Athletes for the Paris Olympics

Atal Mashwani, the spokesperson for the Taliban's Physical Education Directorate, said in an interview with AFP on Monday (July 8) that "currently, girls' sports are halted in Afghanistan, and they cannot participate in these competitions representing the country."

He added that the Taliban only recognize three male representatives.

Last month, the International Olympic Committee announced that Afghanistan would participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics with a gender-equal team consisting of three women and three men.

Mark Adams, the spokesperson for the International Olympic Committee, criticized the Taliban's restrictions on female athletes during a press conference on June 13, stating that no officials from this group would be allowed to attend the competitions.

According to the committee, the male athletes will compete in running, judo, and swimming, while the female athletes will compete in running and cycling.

It is noteworthy that since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, they have imposed numerous restrictions on women. In addition to banning education, studying, and work, the Taliban have also prohibited women from going to sports stadiums and have dissolved all national sports teams that included women.