The Call for Inclusion
Afghanistan’s exiled women’s cricket team has made a compelling appeal to the International Cricket Council (ICC), urging it to emulate FIFA’s approach by acknowledging displaced players as eligible for international competition. This call comes in the wake of FIFA’s decision in April, which allowed Afghan footballers, many of whom now live in Australia, to return to international competitions.
The team has not participated in an official competitive international match since before the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Since then, the authorities have imposed strict limitations on women and girls, affecting their access to education, work, and sports. These restrictions have forced many female athletes to flee the country or abandon their sporting pursuits entirely.
A Voice for Afghan Women
Shafiqa Khan, a Canberra-based Afghan women’s player, expressed her pride and emotion upon learning about FIFA’s landmark decision. She emphasized that this move has provided significant hope to many Afghan women athletes, demonstrating that regardless of where they live, they can represent their country and pursue their passion.
Khan highlighted the importance of such recognition, stating that it would be a meaningful moment for all Afghan women who are denied their basic rights. “We can be a voice for Afghan women,” she said. “We can represent Afghan women who live back home and be a voice for a million girls who are denied their basic rights and follow their passion.”
Support from the ICC
Last year, the ICC announced the establishment of a monetary fund and task force to support the displaced Afghan women’s cricket team. The statement mentioned that the ICC would collaborate with the cricket boards of Australia, England, and India to provide “meaningful support” to Afghan women.
However, Dr. Catherine Ordway pointed out that this task force, the second established by the ICC, has only met once and has resisted calls for a representative of the Afghan women’s team to be included. She criticized the lack of a clear plan and the absence of women’s representation in the task force.
Dr. Ordway, a sport integrity expert and visiting scholar at UNSW’S School of Business Canberra, noted that the ICC has created a task force but lacks a comprehensive strategy. “At the moment, it’s just made up of the Indian cricket, English cricket, and Australian cricket representatives but none of the women are represented and they do not have a plan going forward after the funding ends in August,” she said.
Challenges and Controversies
Since the Taliban takeover, there has been considerable controversy surrounding the Afghan men’s team’s continued involvement in international cricket. ICC regulations require all full member nations to have a national women’s team. Cricket Australia has twice postponed limited overs bilateral series between the two nations due to human rights concerns.
Despite these challenges, Afghanistan continues to participate in ICC tournaments and retains its status as a Test-playing nation. As cricket prepares to make its return to the Olympics in Los Angeles, it remains unclear how Afghanistan’s stance on women’s cricketers aligns with the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Charter.
The Olympic Charter and Human Rights
The Olympic Charter states that “the practice of sport is a human right” and that “every individual must have access to the practice of sport, without discrimination of any kind in respect of internationally recognised human rights.” It also emphasizes that “discrimination of any kind” is contrary to the Fundamental Principles of Olympism.
Dr. Ordway stressed the importance of keeping the plight of Afghan women at the forefront for the ICC. She hopes that a planned trip to the UK for the players, coinciding with the ICC’s Annual Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, from July 8 to 11, will help in this regard.
“At the moment, the women’s team isn’t even on the agenda for the ICC,” Dr. Ordway said. “The fact that they are going to be there at the same time, I am really hopeful [it] will help to put some pressure on the ICC to make some positive decisions, both for this group of displaced women but [also] for the ones inside Afghanistan as well.”
She concluded by emphasizing the need to send a strong message that the Taliban’s message on gender apartheid is completely unacceptable.
The ICC has been contacted for comment.
