Key points
- Activists ask ECB to review its decision
- Say ECB appears to be turning a blind eye to Taliban’s regime strict actions on women
ISLAMABAD: Afghan activists and civil society have expressed deep disappointment over the decision of England to play against Afghanistan in the upcoming tournament, urging England’s cricket team to review their decision.
The activists including Fawzai Koofi and Natiq Malikzada made the demand in a letter to Richard Thomson, Chair of the England and Wales Cricket Board on Wednesday. They asked England not to play their match with Afghanistan’s cricket team because of gender discrimination against the women players.
Gender discrimination
The activists asked the board they wanted to register their dismay at the decision of England to play against Afghanistan in the upcoming tournament. They asked the board, “The citizens of Afghanistan living in the United Kingdom urged the ECB to review this decision”.
“The ECB appears to be turning a blind eye to Taliban’s regime war on women and emboldening them further in cementing gender apartheid with impunity,” the letter says.
The letter further said, “ Taliban’s decision to disband the women’s cricket team and prevent access to sports, among numerous human rights violations, has caused widespread anger,”.
Meanwhile, one of Afghanistan’s first female Olympians has also called on the England cricket team to boycott their upcoming match against Afghanistan next month.
ICC terms
Friba Rezayee, who took part in judo at the 2004 Athens Games, says women Afghan cricketers and players in other sports are treated “as if they didn’t exist” by the Taliban government and called on England to pull out of the upcoming match in protest.
According to British media, the terms of International Cricket Council (ICC) membership have been directly violated by the abolition of women’s sport in Afghanistan, grounds for possible suspension, but their men’s cricket team have now been allowed to take place in three international tournaments in the last 18 months.
