Samira Asghari, the youngest member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has emphasized the need for dialogue with Afghanistan’s interim government in order to bring girls and women back into sports.
Asghari, now 31 and living in Europe, made these remarks in an interview with The Guardian, stating that her main goal is “to end the severe restrictions on women’s sports in Afghanistan”—a goal she believes can only be achieved through negotiations with the current authorities.
She further stressed: “My message to all Afghan women is that if there is even a small opportunity to participate in sports, don’t miss it. Never give up.”
Asghari says her focus is to ensure that by the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, conditions are created for the development of sports in schools and for providing sports facilities for Afghan girls.
The IOC member added that if girls’ primary schools are equipped with sports gear and trained coaches, a new generation will be able to become familiar with sports such as futsal, basketball, and taekwondo.
She acknowledged that negotiating with the interim government faces widespread criticism, but she considers it “necessary.”
“The current government violates human rights—this is a fact; but we cannot ignore Afghan girls. We must engage in dialogue to find a way for women to return to sports,” she said.
The International Olympic Committee has been in talks with the current Afghan sports authorities since December 2022 to reduce restrictions on women’s sports.
Asghari made these comments in Riyadh during the Islamic Solidarity Games, where Afghanistan sent 76 athletes—most of them migrants and exiles—to compete.
This number is a sharp contrast to the six-member team introduced last year for the Paris Olympics.
Afghanistan also won its first-ever gold medal in these competitions. Mohammad Yousuf Jahangir became the champion in Muay Thai.
Asghari says these games could be significant for Afghanistan “both athletically and politically.”
She believes that the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation, led by Saudi Arabia, could play the role of mediator with Afghanistan’s current government.
According to her, with proper investment and planning for athletes, Afghanistan could achieve better results in the 2028 Olympic Games.
