Afghan Athlete's Dream To Perform At The Paralympics Runs Aground, The Taliban Keeps Them Imprisoned

Paralympics Illustration (Twitter @paralympics)

JAKARTA - Afghan athlete Zakia Khodadadi on Tuesday asked for help getting out of Kabul. She wants to relive her dream of becoming the country's first female athlete in the Paralympics.

Cited from Antara, the Afghan Paralympic Committee (APC) earlier on Monday, August 16 said two of their athletes had canceled their performances at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics which started on August 24 following riots caused by the takeover of power by the Taliban.

The group has taken control of major cities and now controls large parts of Afghanistan.

Para-taekwondo athlete Khodadadi in a video message from Kabul forwarded by London-based APC Chef de Mission Arian Sadiqi to Reuters said he felt "imprisoned", living with her extended family but unable to safely go out to train, shop, or just visiting friends and relatives.

Speaking in Farsi, translated by Reuters, Khodadadi said she felt an added burden to her relatives who did not have enough food for their own children.

"I implore all of you, that I am an Afghan woman and as a representative of Afghan women I ask you for help", she said.

"My intention is to participate in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, please hold my hand and help me".

"I urge all of you, from women around the world to institutions for the protection of women from all government organizations, not to let the rights of Afghan women in the Paralympics movement be taken away".

"The reality is that we have lifted ourselves out of this situation, that we have achieved so much, this is not to be taken lightly. I have sacrificed a lot, I don't want my struggle to be in vain and fruitless. Help me".

Khodadadi, 23, and runner Hossain Rasouli were scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on Tuesday but are now unable to fly.

The Taliban group told reporters at their first news conference in Kabul on Tuesday that they would respect women's rights within the framework of Islamic law.

The news conference came after the United States and its Western allies evacuated diplomats and their citizens, following chaos at Kabul airport as Afghans tried to flee the terminal overcrowded by the Taliban.