**Sporting Dreams In Afghanistan: An Uphill Battle**

Afghanistan has a rich history of sports and athletics, with a variety of sports being played in the country. The two most popular sports in Afghanistan are cricket and football (soccer), with the Afghan national teams for both sports achieving success in international tournaments. In addition to these popular sports, Afghanistan also has a traditional sport called Buzkashi, which is played on horseback. Other sports that are played in Afghanistan include basketball, boxing, taekwondo, rugby, and martial arts. The country's sports industry is growing, with many major annual sporting events taking place and Afghans participating in various types of sports.

Afghanistan's national sport is Buzkashi, a team sport played on horseback

Afghanistan's national sport is Buzkashi, a traditional sport played on horseback. It involves two teams of riders who attempt to drag a headless goat or calf carcass to a designated area. The sport is popular across Central Asia and is believed to have originated with the Turkic-Mongol people.

Buzkashi is a dangerous and physically demanding sport, requiring players, known as Chapandaz, to undergo rigorous training. The horses used in the sport also undergo extensive training to minimise the risk of injury.

There are two main forms of Buzkashi: Tudabarai and Qarajai. Tudabarai is the simpler version, where the goal is to grab the goat carcass and move away from other riders. Qarajai is more complex, requiring players to carry the carcass around a marker and then throw it into a scoring circle.

Matches can last for several days, and the winning team or player receives prizes, often sponsored by wealthy Afghans. Buzkashi is more than just a sport in Afghanistan; it is a passion and a way of life, with matches drawing thousands of fans.

The sport has endured through foreign invasions, civil wars, and regime changes. During the Taliban's first reign, Buzkashi was banned, but it resumed after the Taliban were ousted in 2001 and continues to be played today.

Cricket is the country's most popular sport

Cricket is the most popular sport in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan national cricket team has been gaining success in international tournaments since the early 21st century. Cricket was first played in Afghanistan by British troops during the 19th-century Anglo-Afghan Wars, but it wasn't until the mid-1990s that the sport gained popularity among Afghan refugees living in Pakistan. In 2001, the Afghanistan Cricket Federation (now the Afghanistan Cricket Board) was founded, and the national cricket team was formed.

In 2009, the Afghanistan national cricket team earned official One Day International status after a 21-run win over Namibia. In 2017, Afghanistan became a full member of the International Cricket Council, allowing the national team to participate in official Test matches. The Afghanistan Cricket Board is now the official governing body of the sport in Afghanistan.

Cricket has helped unite the Afghan population, and it is watched by everyone in the country on television. There are 320 cricket clubs and 6 turf wickets in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan national cricket team has competed in the last three Cricket World Cups, including a notable victory over England in 2023. Famous Afghan cricket players include Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Asghar Stanizkai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Hazratullah Zazai.

Football is the second most popular sport in Afghanistan

The Afghan Premier League was established in 2012, with the first season running from September to October of that year. The league was created by the AFF and the Afghanistan-based MOBY Group, which owns several TV channels and radio stations and is the country's largest media group. The MOBY Group also broadcasts matches.

Football in Afghanistan is challenging due to the country's political situation. The team did not play in any international games from 1984 to 2003 because of internal conflicts, including the latter years of the Soviet-Afghan War, the civil war in Afghanistan, and the Taliban regime's ban on recreational activities. The Taliban regime's takeover of the country in 2021 has again put sports participation, especially for women, at risk.

Despite these difficulties, the Afghan national football team has achieved some success in recent years. They won the South Asian Football Federation Championship in 2013 and have qualified for the Asian Cup twice, in 2004 and 2019. In 2011, they defeated Bhutan 8-1 in their second-biggest victory. In 2014, they reached the semi-finals of the AFC Challenge Cup, finishing in fourth place.

Famous Afghan football players include Nadia Nadim, Zohib Islam Amiri, Faysal Shayesteh, and Shamsuddin Amiri.

The Taliban banned women from playing sports

Afghanistan has a rich history of sports, with cricket, football, and buzkashi being the most popular. Cricket is the most popular sport in the country, with the Afghan national team achieving success in international tournaments. Football is also popular, with the Afghan national team competing in the Asian Football Confederation. Buzkashi is a traditional sport in Afghanistan, where riders on horseback compete to grab a goat carcass and carry it across a goal line.

However, the Taliban's recent return to power has had a negative impact on women's participation in sports. The Taliban have banned women from playing sports, with a Taliban official stating that women will not be allowed to play cricket or any other sport where they might be exposed. This ban extends to the national women's cricket team, which was set to select its first members before the Taliban regained control.

The Taliban's justification for this ban is that Islam does not allow women to be seen, and that sports are not considered a necessity for women. This ban has caused female athletes to go into hiding or attempt to flee the country, as they fear reprisals from the Taliban. The international community has expressed concern over this ban, particularly as it may jeopardize Afghanistan's standing in the sports world. The International Cricket Council, for example, requires countries to have women's teams to qualify for full membership.

The Taliban's ban on women's sports is part of a larger campaign of restrictions that have severely limited the rights and freedoms of women and girls in Afghanistan. In addition to being barred from playing sports, women and girls have been prohibited from attending school beyond the primary level and have faced severe restrictions on their ability to work outside the home.

The Afghanistan Football Federation was awarded the 2013 FIFA Fair Play Award

Afghanistan has a rich history of sports, with cricket and football being the most popular in the country. The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) is the governing body of football in Afghanistan, controlling all national teams and leagues. It was founded in 1922 and has been a member of FIFA since 1948.

In 2013, the Afghanistan Football Federation was awarded the FIFA Fair Play Award. This was in recognition of their dedication and hard work in developing football at the grassroots level and building the foundations for the game, despite the challenges posed by violence and political unrest in the country. The award was presented to the Afghan Football Federation President, Karim Keramuddin, by Jordanian Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, FIFA vice president for Asia.

The AFF had organised a women's national team prior to the Taliban takeover in 2021 and has worked to promote football among women and families. In addition, the AFF hosted its first international match at home against Pakistan in 2013, after a decade-long gap. Afghanistan defeated Pakistan 3-0, and the match was celebrated as a victory over adversity.

The AFF has also made significant strides in developing football infrastructure. With the assistance of FIFA's Goal Programme, they constructed artificial football pitches for the second edition of the Afghan Premier League, which concluded in October 2013. These pitches facilitated the growth of grassroots football, enabling more children to play the sport.

The Afghanistan Football Federation's efforts to promote unity and peace through football, as well as their resilience in the face of adversity, were recognised by FIFA and the international football community. The award served as a testament to the power of sports in transcending borders and fostering peace.

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