KABUL: A group of former players from Afghanistan’s national women’s football team, who went into exile after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, have reunited in England. They recently participated in the “FIFA Identification Camp,” an event that, according to Reuters, symbolizes resistance and hope rather than just a sports practice. These players express that despite the hardships of migration and the deprivation of playing in their homeland, they have maintained football as their language of protest and freedom. Former national team goalkeeper Elaha Safdari told Reuters, “When the Taliban came, I had to burn my sports equipment and trophies and delete my social media accounts because football was a crime for women. Today, returning to the field after four years is filled with love and joy.” The identification camp at “St. George’s Park” in England is the final stage of FIFA’s program to form a 23-member team of Afghan refugee women. This initiative is led by Scottish coach Pauline Hamill, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino has described it as “an important step in the right direction.” Najma Arefi, another former national team player who left Kabul at the age of 18, stated, “A dog in the streets of Kabul has more rights than a woman. We want to use football to be the voice of Afghan girls and show that they have not been forgotten, even if the world turns a blind eye.
