Afghanistan Taliban crisis: THIS former captain tells Afghan women footballers to burn kits, delete all photos

Former Afghan women`s soccer captain Khalida Popal, who is based in Copenhagen, has urged players to delete social media, erase public identities and burn their kits for their own safety now that the country is again under Taliban rule.

Popal, who is based out of Copenhagen told Reuters in a video interview on Wednesday about how the militant organisation had come down heavily on them in the past, particularly women who were killed, raped and stoned to death on several occasions.

“Today I’m calling them and telling them, take down their names, remove their identities, take down their photos for their safety. Even I’m telling them to burn down or get rid of your national team uniform,” she told news agency Reuters.

“And that is painful for me, for someone as an activist who stood up and did everything possible to achieve and earn that identity as a women’s national team player," she added.

Afghanistan's former women's soccer captain Khalida Popal told @Reuters she has urged players to delete their social media accounts, erase public identities and burn their kits for safety's sake after the Taliban seized control of the country https://t.co/VqlioYGGt0 pic.twitter.com/MZ0Ziyzna8

— Reuters (@Reuters) August 19, 2021

Afghanistan’s International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Samira Asghari has called on the United States to help evacuate the country’s top female athletes and coaching staff ‘before it is too late’ following the Taliban takeover of her nation.

During their 1996-2001 rule, guided by Islamic law, the Taliban stopped women from working. Girls were not allowed to go to school and women had to wear burqas to go out, and then only when accompanied by a male relative.

The Taliban have said they will respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law. However, former basketball captain Asghari said she feared for the safety of female athletes.

“Afghanistan national female athletes, coaches and their entourage need your help, we must get them out of Talibans hands ... Please do something before it is too late,” the 27-year-old tweeted on Wednesday, tagging the US basketball federation, US Olympic and Paralympic Committee and US ambassador to Afghanistan.

Asghari, who has played several roles in Afghan sports administration and became the first IOC member from her country in 2018, was not immediately available to elaborate. The Afghanistan Paralympic Committee said on Monday that two athletes would not be able to attend the Tokyo Paralympic Games, which begin on August 24.

(with Reuters inputs)