Afghan girls' soccer squad find new home in Ronaldo's Portugal
Captain of Afghanistan's national women football team Muhtaj poses for a portrait with teammates at the Belem Tower in Lisbon
Catarina Demony
Thu, September 30, 2021
LISBON (Reuters) - Leaving her homeland Afghanistan was painful, says 15-year-old Sarah. But now safely in Portugal, she hopes to pursue her dream of playing soccer professionally - and perhaps meeting her idol, star striker Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sarah was one of several players from Afghanistan's national female youth soccer squad who fled their country in fear after the Taliban hardline Islamist movement seized power in August.
Portugal has granted asylum to the young footballers.
"I'm free," she said, smiling from ear-to-ear as she visited Lisbon's landmark Belem Tower on the River Tagus with her mother and teammates.
"My dream is to be a good player like Ronaldo - and I want to be a big business woman here in Portugal," she said.
She hoped to go back home one day but only if she can live freely.
Her mother, who requested that Reuters did not use their surname, had experienced first-hand a previous era of Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. She is less optimistic they will ever be able to return.
Taliban leaders have promised to respect women's rights but under their first government, women could not work and girls were banned from school. Women had to cover their faces and be accompanied by a male relative when they left home.
A senior Taliban official said after the Aug. 15 takeover that women would probably not be allowed to play sport because it was "not necessary" and their bodies might be exposed.
"The reason we took on this mission (to evacuate the team) was to ensure they can aspire and play the sport they love," said Farkhunda Muhtaj, captain of the Afghanistan women's senior national team, who flew to Lisbon on Wednesday to surprise the youth team players.
From her home in Canada, where she works as assistant soccer coach at a local university, Muhtaj has been in touch with the girls throughout the evacuation process, codenamed Operation Soccer Balls. It managed to rescue a total of 80 people - the female youth team and family members, including babies.
They landed in Portugal on Sept. 19.
When Muhtaj showed up on Wednesday night, the girls were ecstatic. They hugged. Some could not hold back the tears.
"They been through so much, so many challenges," Muhtaj said. "They were just resilient and they were able to make it happen."
One relative, 25-year-old Zaki Rasa, recalled the chaos at the Kabul airport, where he spent three anguished days. He is now delighted to be in Portugal and wants to continue his studies.
"There is some uncertainty about the future," he said. "The important thing is that we are safe."
(Reporting by Catarina Demony; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Angus MacSwan)
Fleeing Afghan women footballers seek new home from Pakistan
Women's football is so frowned upon by the Taliban that they have allegedly burned down some players' homes. DW spoke to the former national team captain, Khalida Popal, who's trying to get her compatriots to safety.
A group of 32 Afghan women football players and their families are seeking safe haven from the Taliban in third countries after fleeing to Pakistan, the former Afghanistan women's team captain said on Friday.
Women's team captain Khalida Popal told DW that some of the players "had their houses burned down and some family members were taken by the Taliban."
Some 135 people — 32 players and coaches as well as their families — "were displaced from their provinces" because of their involvement in women's football, Popal added.
"They are in Pakistan and we are trying our best to find a host country for them," she said.
'Stay strong,' Popal urges
Popal told women in the country not to give up: "I am feeling sorry and sad for my people, for especially women in Afghanistan. I want to tell you, stay strong. We are trying our best to help you in any way possible."
Khalida Popal, former Afghan national team captain, has fought hard for women soccer players
Popal, who now lives in Denmark, said she was happy that some of her fellow soccer players could get out of the country and have the opportunity to play the sport they have grown to love.
"As one of the founding members of the Afghanistan Women's first National Team I found my freedom through football," Popal told DW. "The foundation of women's football was based on standing up for our rights for the women of Afghanistan, but also challenging the culture that was taking the basic human rights from women."
Popal had even warned women and girls who played football to burn their kits and delete their social media accounts back in August when the Taliban seized power.
The Football for Peace international organization arranged the departure of Afghan provincial football players and their families to Pakistan throughout September.
The Pakistan football federation received the first group of them at its headquarters in Lahore with red flowers in mid-September.
jc/fb (Reuters, AFP)
Women's football is so frowned upon by the Taliban that they have allegedly burned down some players' homes. DW spoke to the former national team captain, Khalida Popal, who's trying to get her compatriots to safety.
Watch video03:52 Women banned from sports under Taliban: Khalida Popal speaks to DW
A group of 32 Afghan women football players and their families are seeking safe haven from the Taliban in third countries after fleeing to Pakistan, the former Afghanistan women's team captain said on Friday.
Women's team captain Khalida Popal told DW that some of the players "had their houses burned down and some family members were taken by the Taliban."
Some 135 people — 32 players and coaches as well as their families — "were displaced from their provinces" because of their involvement in women's football, Popal added.
"They are in Pakistan and we are trying our best to find a host country for them," she said.
'Stay strong,' Popal urges
Popal told women in the country not to give up: "I am feeling sorry and sad for my people, for especially women in Afghanistan. I want to tell you, stay strong. We are trying our best to help you in any way possible."
Khalida Popal, former Afghan national team captain, has fought hard for women soccer players
Popal, who now lives in Denmark, said she was happy that some of her fellow soccer players could get out of the country and have the opportunity to play the sport they have grown to love.
"As one of the founding members of the Afghanistan Women's first National Team I found my freedom through football," Popal told DW. "The foundation of women's football was based on standing up for our rights for the women of Afghanistan, but also challenging the culture that was taking the basic human rights from women."
Popal had even warned women and girls who played football to burn their kits and delete their social media accounts back in August when the Taliban seized power.
Watch video 04:36 From the archives: Popal on DW TV on September 9 this year
Escaping Afghanistan
Over 3,000 women and girls who played football in Afghanistan feared for their lives after the withdrawal of Western forces and the Taliban takeover of the country.
The Taliban had banned women and girls from education or playing sports between 1996 to 2001.
On September 8, a Taliban spokesman, Ahmadullah Wasiq, told Australian broadcaster SBS that "Islam and the Islamic Emirate do not allow women to play cricket or play the kind of sports where they get exposed."
The women's national senior and youth teams were the first to leave the country, securing asylum in Australia and Portugal respectively.
Over 3,000 women and girls who played football in Afghanistan feared for their lives after the withdrawal of Western forces and the Taliban takeover of the country.
The Taliban had banned women and girls from education or playing sports between 1996 to 2001.
On September 8, a Taliban spokesman, Ahmadullah Wasiq, told Australian broadcaster SBS that "Islam and the Islamic Emirate do not allow women to play cricket or play the kind of sports where they get exposed."
The women's national senior and youth teams were the first to leave the country, securing asylum in Australia and Portugal respectively.
Watch video 01:46 Afghanistan girls' soccer team safe in Portugal
The Football for Peace international organization arranged the departure of Afghan provincial football players and their families to Pakistan throughout September.
The Pakistan football federation received the first group of them at its headquarters in Lahore with red flowers in mid-September.
jc/fb (Reuters, AFP)
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