Taliban bans women from sports activities

Kabul [Afghanistan], January 6 (ANI): A number of sports club owners in Kabul said that the Taliban has banned athletic sports for women.
"They (Islamic Emirate) don't allow athletic sports (for women), although the women's section was separated in the past and it is separated now too. The coach is also a woman, not a man. But let (women) be allowed to do their exercises," said Hafizullah Abasi, head of a sports club, reported Tolo News.
"Since the Taliban came to power, I was not allowed to exercise. I referred to many sports clubs for training. But, unfortunately, they said that the women's section is closed," said Tahira Sultani, a coach of Taekwondo and mountaineering sports.
She has earned awards at the national level as well as abroad in the past eight years.
"I had a lot of desire and ambition over the past six years. I wanted to raise the flag of Afghanistan in the world in the best way," said Arizo Ahmadi, a member of the national Jujutsu team, reported Tolo News.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate said it would allow women's sports based on Islamic values and Afghan culture.
"We will pursue the policy of the Islamic Emirate in all aspects. Whatever is allowed in our culture and tradition, we will allow it," said Dad Mohmmad Nawa, spokesman for Physical Education and National Olympic Committee.
The ban of women in sports by the current government has faced criticism by international humanitarian organizations, reported Tolo News.
"According to Human Rights Watch, there have been a number of concerning reports, including, Taliban bans on women's sports, limited women's access to health care due to Taliban rules requiring women to be chaperoned by a man, suspension of international aid," Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said earlier in a series of tweets. (ANI)