At the Taliban return to power in Afghanistan after more than two decades, the future looks at tad grim for sportspeople in the war-torn nation. While some including Afghan cricketer Rashid Khan have taken to social media platforms to flag the chaotic situation in the country, others have begun urging sportspeople to lie low during this time.
While the Afghan cricket board and some former players insist that Taliban loves cricket and will not hamper cricketing activities or harm cricketers or their families, there is absolutely no guarantee on how things will shape up in the coming weeks. More worrisome is the thought of what the future holds for the women athletes of the country.
In a country where girls have been targeted for attending the school and their participation in any kind of outdoor sporting activity considered as a social stigma, the return of violent extremism will pose unimaginable challenges.
The Afghanistan's women's national football team for example is now grappling with the possibility that they may never be able to play again. Founded in 2011, the team has gradually emerged as a symbol of breaking stereotypes and spreading the message of equality and freedom. Their gradual rise also encouraged players to report incidents of physical, mental and sexual abuse in spite of the dreadful circumstances in their country.
"Painful to see the dreams and hopes of Afghanistan women and girls are fading again. It's painful to witness that they are not allowed to dream again. They are stopped from dreaming," tweeted Khalida Popal, a former captain of the Afghanistan women's football team who had fled her country and sought asylum in Denmark five years ago.
The co-founder of the Afghan women's football league, Popal has in the past been a vocal champion for their rights. But her latest message is perhaps a testament to how much things have changed over the last month. In an interaction with Reuters, Popal urged players to delete their social media accounts, erase public identities and burn their kits for the sake of safety.
"Afghanistan is bleeding once again and this time it's bleeding damn hard. It's too much pain to take in, it's heart breaking to witness the result of all the years of hard work and sacrifices fades away. My girls are too scared of going to school, or play soccer. No more hope for peace," Popal had said last month anticipating the complete takeover.
"Today I'm calling them and telling them, take down their names, remove their identities, take down their photos for their safety. Even I'm telling them to burn down or get rid of your national team uniform," she told Reuters this week.
