IOC warns Afghanistan about Paris Olympics status over denying sports to women and girls

GENEVA: The Afghanistan team’s status for the 2024 Paris Olympics was put in question Wednesday by the IOC over growing frustration with the Taliban blocking access to sport for women and girls. The International Olympic Committee said it “continues to be extremely concerned” about the sports situation in Afghanistan despite its repeated calls for action.

Noting its “right to take any further measures,” the IOC cautioned that “specific details for the participation of the Afghan (national Olympic committee) delegation and team” for the Paris Games have not yet been decided. The IOC could suspend Afghanistan’s Olympic body for government interference in the independent management of sport, while supporting the country’s athletes to compete in Paris as an independent team under the Olympic flag and anthem.

That was how Kuwaitis competed at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The issue was discussed Wednesday at an IOC executive board meeting which also took updates on problems with Olympic officials in India, Indonesia, Iran and Guatemala.

A call between Olympic officials and Afghanistan’s recently appointed director of physical education and sports had led to some written guarantees, IOC director for NOC relations James McLeod said in an online briefing. Still, the IOC said allowing some access to sports for girls at primary schools was “a first step but reiterated that this remains insufficient.” The Afghanistan issue is next scheduled to be discussed in October at an IOC board meeting held in Mumbai, India, soon after the Asian Games.

Afghanistan sent five athletes, including one woman, to the Tokyo Olympics, which ended in August 2021 one week before the Taliban retook control of the country. INDONESIA The IOC has