Sawt Falasteen - Yousofi to represent 'stolen dreams' of Afghan women at Olympics

The 100m sprinter was Afghanistan's flag-bearer at the Tokyo Games three years ago, but fled her home country to neighbouring Iran to escape persecution when the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.

She was one of five athletes and administrators, plus families, with ties to the Olympic movement who received safe passage into Australia a year later.

"It's an honour to represent the girls of my homeland once again. Girls and women who have been deprived of basic rights, including education, which is the most important one," the 28-year-old said via the Australian Olympic Committee.

"I represent the stolen dreams and aspirations of these women. Those who don't have the authority to make decisions as free human beings.

"They don't even have the permission to enter a park.

"I'm deeply grateful to all those who have stood by me on this journey and made this possible," she added.

A gender-balanced team of three men and three women will represent Afghanistan in Paris later this month in a symbolic move for the first summer Olympics since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul.

The women will compete in athletics and cycling while their male counterparts will feature in athletics, swimming and judo.

All of them, except the judoka, are based outside Afghanistan with the team competing under the black, red and green flag and anthem of the Western-backed former republic, which was ousted by the Taliban.

The International Olympic Committee has refused to accredit any Taliban officials.

Since they returned to power, the Taliban has used its austere interpretation of Islam to erode the rights of women, who are de facto barred from sports and have restricted access to public spaces as well as education and certain jobs.

Yusofi's Australian coach John Quinn will be the Afghanistan team's head coach in France, the Australian Olympic Committee said.

Quinn praised Yousofi, who will be at her third Olympics, as an inspiration to her training partners.

"On the track she has improved enormously technically since coming here and she has a great squad around her," he said.

"But when you consider everything else she has had to juggle -– training, a new language, getting her family here, all those things, she has been amazing.

"Her efforts have certainly inspired the other squad members. Now she finds herself on the world stage again in Paris."

E.Aziz--SF-PST