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IOC delegation in Kabul for Afghanistan`s return to Olympics
Kabul, June 11: An Olympic delegation is in Kabul to evaluate progress being made in the promotion of sport, particularly among women. A favourable report could see a suspension order lifted, and Afghanistan return to the Olympic group of nations.
Kabul, June 11: An Olympic delegation is in Kabul to evaluate progress being made in the promotion of sport, particularly among women. A favourable report could see a suspension order lifted, and Afghanistan return to the Olympic group of nations.
Afghan women put on a display of sports training at Kabul University on Monday (June 9), ranging from basketball and gymnastics to karate, judo and sword fighting.
Observing were members of an International Olympic Committee (IOC) delegation who are assessing the sporting resources of Afghanistan, which is currently suspended from membership of the Olympic movement. Suspension came after the rise of the Taliban regime in the country.
Afghan sportsmen and women were prevented from taking part in most international sporting events after the Soviet invasion of 1979, which prompted the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
Two Afghans however went to the 1996 Atlanta Games. After the Taliban took over in the same year, Afghanistan was again excluded from sporting events, as most countries refused to recognise the regime.
Because of the Taliban's restrictive policies which forced men to grow beards and wear long trousers and women to cover themselves from head to toe, more of the country's most promising athletes in sports such as wrestling and boxing left the country.
First Afghanistan must produce qualified coaches and trainers in sports. Among those helping in Kabul is Stig Traavik, deputy head of the Norwegian Embassy in the city and a keen judo instructor.
He said that Afghanistan was now ready to rejoin the international sports arena, and said the display at Kabul University was to show that instructors were being trained to teach young men and women sports in Afghanistan.
A young woman, Shapari Jan, was at the training session to take part in basketball practice.
"I am quite fond of sports and I have always wanted to be able to achieve something remarkable as a sportswoman," she said.
Among those watching the training was Pere Miro, leading an IOC delegation which will report back to the IOC assembly with its findings.
"We are here in order to analyse the situation, to see the reality of the Olympic movement, the development of the sports for women, the real structure of the sport in the country and these in order to prepare the report for the International Olympic Committee and in order to ask to the session assembly of the IOC (International Olympic Commitee) to lift the suspension and for the reintegration of the Olympic movement in Afghanistan within the international movement," he said.
Bureau Report
Because of the Taliban's restrictive policies which forced men to grow beards and wear long trousers and women to cover themselves from head to toe, more of the country's most promising athletes in sports such as wrestling and boxing left the country.
First Afghanistan must produce qualified coaches and trainers in sports. Among those helping in Kabul is Stig Traavik, deputy head of the Norwegian Embassy in the city and a keen judo instructor.
He said that Afghanistan was now ready to rejoin the international sports arena, and said the display at Kabul University was to show that instructors were being trained to teach young men and women sports in Afghanistan.
A young woman, Shapari Jan, was at the training session to take part in basketball practice.
"I am quite fond of sports and I have always wanted to be able to achieve something remarkable as a sportswoman," she said.
Among those watching the training was Pere Miro, leading an IOC delegation which will report back to the IOC assembly with its findings.
"We are here in order to analyse the situation, to see the reality of the Olympic movement, the development of the sports for women, the real structure of the sport in the country and these in order to prepare the report for the International Olympic Committee and in order to ask to the session assembly of the IOC (International Olympic Commitee) to lift the suspension and for the reintegration of the Olympic movement in Afghanistan within the international movement," he said.
Bureau Report