Kimia Yousofi never cared about taking home the gold.
The Afghan sprinter may not have won her Olympic 100-meter heat, but her presence on the Paris track delivered a strong statement to the Taliban government about women’s rights.
“Sport. Education. Yousofi’s race bib, which she proudly showed after finishing in 13.42 seconds at the Stade de France on Friday, had a handwritten message on the reverse that said, “Our Rights.”
“I fight for the territory that the terrorists sprang from. “Okay, get out. This is my house,” you tell them if they break into your home. How should I feel? After the marathon, she remarked, “They took my land.” They are not acknowledged as the official government of Afghanistan. Nobody. They are mute. I can talk.”
Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, is the most repressive country in the world for women’s rights, according to the United Nations. Since it returned to power in 2021, the hardline Islamist group has closed secondary schools for girls, banned women from attending university and working at NGOs, restricted their travel without a male chaperone, and banned them from public spaces such as parks and gyms.
According to a UN study released last month, the Taliban’s self-proclaimed morality police have also disproportionately targeted women and girls, fostering a “climate of fear and intimidation.”
Yousofi, 28, is the only female track participant for Afghanistan in Paris. The six-person Afghan Olympic squad is composed of three males and three females, representing gender equality.
Taliban representatives are not permitted to attend the Paris Games, according to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The International Olympic Committee (IOC) reports that the secretary general and chairman of Afghanistan’s national Olympic committee are in exile.
During the Taliban’s previous control, Yousofi, who was born to Iranian refugees, moved to Afghanistan to represent his country as the flag bearer at the Rio Olympics in 2016 and was the country’s flag bearer at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
She traveled to Australia in 2022 to train for the Paris Olympics, working with Sydney-based coach John Quinn.
“Kimia, in my opinion, inspires women and people everywhere. having the guts to stand up and use one’s voice. And take a position. when that might have disastrous results, Quinn told CNN.
“Making a stand is important to some people, but winning gold, silver, or bronze is important to others.”
(CNN)
