By Karolos Grohmann
PARIS (Reuters) – Afghan female athlete Manizha Talash, a member of the refugee Olympic team at the Paris Games, displayed the words “Free Afghan Women” on her cape during her breaking routine in the competition’s pre-qualifiers on Friday.
Talash, who lives in Spain and competes for the refugee team at the Olympics, wore a light blue cape that had the phrase written on it with large white letters during her B-girls pre-qualifier loss to India Sardjoe of Netherlands.
Political slogans and statements are banned on the field of play and on podiums at the Olympics, meaning Talash could face a potential sanction.
The Paris Games are the third Olympics where a team of refugees is taking part, with 37 athletes competing in 12 different sports including athletics, badminton and boxing.
Afghanistan is represented by a contingent of three women and three men, in a largely symbolic move by the International Olympic Committee as a message to the country, which under Taliban rule has restricted women’s and girls’ access to sports and gyms.
Both the head of Afghanistan’s national Olympic committee (NOC) recognised by the IOC and its secretary general are currently in exile.
The Taliban – who say they respect women’s rights in line with their interpretation of Islamic law and local customs – have closed girls’ high schools, placed travel restrictions on women without a male guardian and restricted access to parks and gyms since seizing power in August 2021.
The IOC has said no Taliban official has been accredited for the Games.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann)
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