Yulduz and Fariba Hashimi, the Hashimi sisters, were on one of the final departures from Kabul just as the Taliban regained control in Afghanistan three years ago. They are now set to make their debut as representatives of Afghanistan in the cycling events at the Paris Olympic Games this month, in spite of the ruling authority’s prohibition against female athletes.
“One of the few joys for Afghan women makes me pleased to be standing for a nation where fundamental rights for women are lacking. My participation in the sporting events in Paris is a testament to the strength of Afghan women that the world needs to recognise,” expressed 24-year-old Yulduz.
She aspires to deliver impressive performances, exhibit the tri-coloured Afghanistan flag, and instil positivity in women subjected to educational or occupational restrictions. Women’s sport in Afghanistan is currently outlawed under the Taliban regime.
Referring to the male athletes, Atal Mashwani, the sports directorate spokesperson for the Taliban government, announced, “At present, Afghanistan is being represented by only three athletes, girls’ sports have been suspended. How can they be part of the national team without practicing the sport?”
The Hashimi sisters declared that they will be standing for the Afghanistan tricolour flag, its people, and particularly the women of Afghanistan. They also emphasised that their participation at the Olympics isn’t linked to any particular group, including the Taliban.
Six Afghan athletes, consisting of three males and three females, with Yulduz and Fariba included, have been invited to participate by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The invitation was extended in consultation with the essentially expatriated Afghanistan national Olympic committee. There has been no engagement with Taliban officials over the team undertaking, nor were they invited to the games. Mark Adams, the IOC spokesperson, confirmed this by highlighting the IOC’s solitary interactions with the national Olympic committee of Afghanistan for the readiness and involvement of the Afghan team.
While these brave women will compete in cycling and general athletic events, their male counterparts will be seen in athletics, swimming, and judo.
The sisters hail from Faryab, a secluded and traditionally conservative Afghan province, where women’s involvement in sports, let alone cycling, is practically unheard of. “In my local community, sports are believed to be a domain exclusively for men,” Yulduz commented.
In 2017, a bicycle race was held in their home town in northern Afghanistan. The sisters, who were 14 and 17 years old at the time, expressed their wish to compete, but there was a hurdle – “we didn’t have the ability to cycle,” Yulduz admitted.
Previously, the two sisters had been part of the local languages course football squad. This, however, was restricted to the course premises and had only one football, no coach, and sporadic practice sessions.
For practice, they borrowed a bicycle from a nearby resident one day. The streets of Faryab are difficult to navigate by foot, but Fariba and Yulduz chose to cycle on these roads, which was not the only hurdle they faced.
“There were attempts to run us over with cars or rickshaws. There were those who pelted us with stones,” twenty-one-year-old Fariba stated.
Another obstacle they faced was the need to join the race without their family’s knowledge. To avoid being recognized, they donned hijabs, large scarves, and sunglasses.
Their cycling adventure started on a high note with both sisters clinching the top two spots: “I was anxious that my family would be upset when I came home after winning the race, but to my surprise, they were pleased and from then on, they rallied behind me,” Yulduz revealed.
With their family’s backing, doors started opening for them. They soon earned recognition and were invited to represent the national team.
“Both sisters were first chosen to join the Jame Gawhar Shad race on May 8th, 2020,” recalled Fazli Ahmad Fazli, the president of the Afghan Cycling Federation. “These women are impressive cyclists, and I’m confident they’ll bring home victories in significant races for Afghanistan soon.”
Despite the family’s support, the sisters encountered several obstacles when they embarked on their professional cycling careers in Afghanistan.
“Our relatives expressed disapproval and scorn, striving to prevent us from cycling,” Yulduz recalled.
Following the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, the Hashimi sisters, like numerous other Afghans, were compelled to flee their homeland.
Through the helping hand of Alessandra Cappellotto, a champion of the world road title from Italy in 1997, Fariba, Yulduz, and three of their team members — Nooria Mohammadi, Zahra Rezayee, and Arezo Sarwari, safely left Kabul via a flight arranged by the Italian government.
After moving to Italy, Fariba and Yulduz Hashimi took part in numerous noteworthy events. Among these were the UCI global Gravel Championships held in Vicenza, Italy, where they placed 33rd and 39th.
The unstable conditions in Afghanistan led to the 2022 Women’s Road Championships of Afghanistan being held in Aigle, Switzerland. Fariba emerged as the victor of this race and claimed the Afghan women’s road champion title after a thrilling final sprint against her sister Yulduz, who took the silver medal.
Yulduz continues to focus on her sport and stands as an advocate for women in Afghanistan. She provides a message of hope and determination to the young girls in Afghanistan, encouraging them not to lose hope and endure despite the lack of freedom and access to education. Moreover, she urges Afghan women to perceive her journey as an inspiration.
In a message full of hope, she states, “Consider our journey; despite the challenges we faced, we bring joy to Afghanistan’s people and women.”
As per Fazli Ahmad Fazli, the president of the Afghan Cycling Federation, they have built a strong team comprising over 50 female competitors across Switzerland, Italy, Canada, UK, and France. There are also over 100 male competitors from Afghanistan, Iran, Switzerland, Canada, Italy, and Germany.
However, the team continues to encounter significant obstacles. “Our primary challenge is our financial situation, and secondly, for Afghan cycling to excel, we need a robust technical team,” Fazli remarked.
In the next two years, his aspiration is to claim the Asian Championship.
Fazli Ahmad Fazli is optimistic about the future of female Afghan athletes, asserting that “Yulduz and Fariba will serve as a source of inspiration and symbols of hope for many Afghan women.” He fondly recalls his experiences with the Hashimi sisters.
Lots of tales come to mind, but one distinct memory is from our previous race at the Asian Championship in Kazakhstan. This is when Fariba managed to come in 4th place during the time trials. I happened to overhear chatter from other teams, in various languages, indicating that Afghanistan could be the victors next year. At the time I was thrilled, however, there remained an underlying sense of despair, knowing that numerous girls, including Fariba and Yulduz, are not given the opportunity to partake in education and sports back in Afghanistan.
To conclude, he made a heartfelt plea to the global community.
He urges, “We must not neglect Afghan women, they need your support. With the backing of the international community, we could witness a surge of talented Afghan women making their mark on numerous platforms.”