Noura’s desire to play sports was so great that she defied her own family for years. His mother’s spanking and the neighbors’ taunts didn’t stop him from doing what pleased him the most.

But the 20-year-old has not been able to stand up to Afghanistan’s new leaders. The Taliban not only forbid women from exercising, they demean and harass women who do.

Some have been summoned and approached by representatives of Islamic groups. They were threatened that they would stop training, even at home, said Noura, who was horrified by the threats.

– I am no longer the same person. Since the Taliban came, I feel like I have died, he said.

[ «Øye for øye» er tilbake som rettspraksis i Afghanistan ]

Safer with the burqa

Neither of the sportsmen wants to be named. They fear retribution. And when they allowed themselves to be photographed by the Associated Press, they hid their identities by wearing burkas that covered their bodies and faces.

They used to not wear clothes that completely covered their bodies, but now they do so occasionally to be anonymous and to avoid distractions on their way out.

The ban on women’s sports is part of the Taliban’s increasingly stringent regime for what women are allowed to do. Since the Taliban took power in August 2021, girls have been banned from middle and high schools. In December, they were also expelled from universities and colleges.

Highly conservative Islamists require women to cover their hair and face in public, and they are denied access to parks and gyms. Opportunities to work are very limited. Recently, it was decided that they too could not work for voluntary organizations – a ban which was later relaxed.

[ Huitfeldt i møte med organisasjoner og eksperter om kvinneforbudet i Afghanistan ]

Negative attitude

Even before the Taliban moved to Kabul, many people in Afghanistan were against women playing sports. They think it is indecent and inappropriate.

Nevertheless, the former government of Afghanistan encouraged women to play sports. This led to the creation of school teams and national teams, as well as separate women’s leagues across a number of sports.

A 20-year-old martial artist recalls taking part in a local tournament at a sports hall in Kabul when he learned that Taliban forces had reached the outskirts of the capital. All the female artists left the hall. It was the last tournament that Sarina participated in.

A few months later, he tried coaching girls privately. But the Taliban attack the training room and arrest everyone. While in detention, the girls were humiliated and ridiculed, according to Sarina. They were released after mediation between the Taliban and traditional community leaders, but they had to promise never to exercise again.

[ Rettighetskamp for Afghanistan: – Vi mistet alt på én dag ]

– Still struggling

Sarina still practices a bit at home, and sometimes gives training to her friends.

– Life has become very difficult for me, but I am someone who struggles, so I will continue to live and fight, he said.

Mushwanay, a spokesman for the Taliban sports organization and the national Olympic committee, said authorities were trying to find a solution so women could play sports again. The idea was to build a separate gym for women, but she didn’t have a time frame and added that money was needed to make it happen.

The Taliban had made similar promises that girls from grade 7 would be allowed to start school again, but nothing happened.

[ FN ber Taliban gjenåpne jenteskolene i Afghanistan ]

Found on the street

Noura said that her desire to exercise was always opposed. After his family moved from the province to a poor area of ​​Kabul, he started playing football with the boys on the streets. When she was nine years old, she was spotted by a coach and, after being encouraged by him, joined the girls’ team.

He kept it a secret from everyone except his father, but his talent caused him to be exposed. When she was 13 years old, she was voted the best female player in her age group, and her name and photo were shown on TV.

– All over the world, when a girl becomes famous and her photo is shown on TV, it is a good day for her, and she experiences the peak of happiness, says Noura.

– But for me it was a very bitter day and the beginning of even worse times, he added.

[ Mustafa (31) frykter å bli sendt til Afghanistan: – Jeg kjenner på mye stress ]

Beaten by mother

The mother was very angry and beat him shouting that he should not play football. Still, he continued to play in secret.

When his team wins the national championship, he is again portrayed in the media, and once again he is beaten by his mother.

Still, he snuck into the awards ceremony. As the audience cheered for him, he burst into tears.

– Only I know that I cry because of the loneliness and difficult life that I have, he said.

When the mother found out that he was still playing, she burned the soccer kit and soccer shoes.

Noura stopped playing soccer and started boxing. The mother finally relented. He understood that he could not stop his daughter.

[ Ett år siden Kabuls fall: – Kvinnene har blitt de store taperne ]

Too late to leave

The day the Taliban captured Kabul, her coach called her mother and said that Noura had to go to the airport to go abroad. However, not wanting her daughter to leave, the mother did not convey the message.

When the message finally reached him, it was too late to leave. Noura said that she cut her wrists and ended up in the hospital.

– The world has darkened for me, he said.

Three months later, a man called his family. He said he was a member of the Taliban and threatened him.

– They say “Why do you do sports? Sports are forbidden”

The experience led him to leave Kabul. Dressed in a burka, she traveled to her family’s hometown, before choosing to return home. But he is still afraid.

– Even though my life was difficult, I used to have self-confidence and I knew that if I worked, I could do whatever I wanted. Now I don’t have much hope anymore, he said.

[ – Ikke forsvarlig å tvangsreturnere afghanere til Afghanistan ]