Marzieh Hamidi, a 22-year-old Afghan athlete, faces threats for advocating a boycott of the Afghan cricket team, arguing that the ICC should not recognize teams from countries that deny gender equality. She emphasizes the need for international action against the Taliban’s repression of women’s rights in sports. Afghanistan’s captain, while supportive of women’s cricket, claims their situation is beyond their control, but the ICC is urged to reevaluate Afghanistan’s recognition as a cricketing nation due to its human rights violations.
As Afghanistan’s cricket team garners attention for its performance in the ICC Champion’s Cup in Pakistan, 22-year-old Olympic athlete Marzieh Hamidi, who fled the Taliban regime, faces significant backlash for advocating a boycott of the team. Hamidi argues that the ICC’s regulations should prevent recognition of teams from nations lacking both men’s and women’s teams. She emphasizes that Taliban-affiliated teams must be boycotted due to the regime’s enforcement of gender-based discrimination, which forbids women and girls from education and sports.
In a recent interview with The Hindu during a security dialogue in Madrid, Hamidi, now residing under police protection in France, expressed her concerns following death threats she received after her boycott call went public. She criticized the normalization of the Taliban by allowing their representatives in international sports, stating, “All I said was that the Taliban is not recognised, and that the team must not be allowed to normalise them by competing in international sport.”
Afghanistan’s captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, acknowledged the importance of women’s participation in sports but maintained that the players could not control external circumstances. Shahidi remarked, “We are sportspersons. We control what we can do inside the ground, and we can’t worry about what’s happening out of the ground.”
While teams from England and Australia participated in matches against Afghanistan, both cricket boards have pressed the ICC to reevaluate Afghanistan’s recognition as a cricketing nation. Cricket Australia notably canceled a T20 series against Afghanistan due to worsening human rights conditions for women and girls. Furthermore, British MPs have petitioned for a boycott against Afghanistan, urging adherence to ICC guidelines regarding women’s cricket.
Despite these developments, ICC President Jay Shah has dismissed the calls for boycotting by stating that the organization is assessing how to support Afghan women’s cricket within its legal structure. Hamidi expressed disappointment at this stance, underscoring India’s particular responsibility in advocating for Afghan women’s rights in sports, given its historical support towards the Afghan team.
Reflecting on her own experiences, Hamidi, born to a refugee family in Iran and later training in Taekwondo, emphasizes the difficult choices faced by athletes under oppressive regimes. She articulated her motivation for her activism, noting, “It was a choice between silence and exile.” Her resolve is directed toward ensuring a better future for sports and justice for women in Afghanistan.
Marzieh Hamidi’s call for the boycott of the Afghan cricket team highlights the ongoing struggle for women’s rights under Taliban rule. Her stance reflects broader concerns regarding the normalization of the Taliban and the implications for women’s participation in sports. With growing international pressure on the ICC and the Afghan cricket board, the emphasis remains on ensuring that sports governance aligns with fundamental human rights. India’s role remains crucial in advocating for justice for Afghan women, given its historical involvement with the Afghan cricket team.
Original Source: www.thehindu.com
