Chemistry A Yusofi The Tokyo Olympic games, one of whose 100m-sprinters carried an Afghan flag has been selected as part of the six-man national team for the forthcoming Paris Olympics. Yusofie joining the team is important because it would represent all women from Afghanistan who have “had their dreams and ambitions stolen from them.”
Yusofi had to flee his home country in 2021 when Afghanistan was taken over by the Taliban and sought asylum in Iran. After a year, one of them was allowed entry into Australia with her family as they are linked to the Olympics.
Yusofie participated in Paris Olympics It is a powerful symbol of resilience and hope for Afghan women whose aspirations have been suppressed under the current regime.
“It’s another opportunity for me to be a representative of my nation’s girls,” said the 28-year-old through Australia’s Olympic committee. This includes education which is among fundamental human rights.’
Some days ago I talked about how I am representing these women whose hopes were shattered at once; people who have become puppets in their own lives.
Because they are not even allowed to enter into this garden.
I’m so grateful to all those who supported me throughout this journey and made it possible,” she added
Six athletes, three male and three female will figuratively represent Afghanistan at Summer Olympics in Paris. Since Taliban took over Kabul, this will be Afghanistan’s first time participating in Olympic Games.
Women athletes will compete in cycling events and athletics while male ones go into judo, swimming events as well as track competitions.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) chose the participants together with the Afghan National Olympic Committee that operates mainly outside Afghanistan. All other sportsmen except for judoka live outside Afghanistan.
The team will use former national anthem of Western-backed republic that Taliban has overthrown from power. As per Monday statement from radicals IOC does not recognize Yusofi or any other two her female colleagues, and the Taliban said that they do not recognize her.
The male participants are only representing Afghanistan in three who are only three athletes,” explained Attar Mashwani, a spokesperson for Taliban’s sports department.
In this country today there is no women sport. There is no women sport. Can they be on the national team?” he asked Parami News.
This severely restricts women’s rights in line with strict interpretation of Islam by the Taliban, effectively banning women from participating in public life and restricting their entrance to certain places such as schools or work.
These limitations which have been imposed by the United Nations are known as “gender apartheid.”
Also during Taliban’s first rule from 1996-2001 women were barred from engaging in sports, while Afghanistan was banned from taking part in Olympic Games by International Olympic Committee (IOC) back in 1999.
After 911 US invasion wiped out Taliban and Afghanistan re-entered into the Olympic movement. The upcoming Paris Olympics will be the first Summer Olympics since the Taliban returned to power
However, IOC has taken another approach this time around and instead approved a system under which all countries’ teams would be represented even when individual athletes failed to qualify.
It means that Yusofi’s coach John Quinn will serve as head coach for France team in Afghan according to Australia’s Olympic Committee.
Quinn called Yusofie’s third appearance at an Olympic his partner for her training sessions.
“My, she has really improved her skills on the track from here and she is well supported”, he said.
“But, when you think of all the other things that she has to balance – training, a new language, having her family here, among several other things – it’s amazing.
“Her efforts have been an inspiration for the rest of us. She now finds herself back on the world stage in Paris.”
