When the Taliban regained power in 2021, “I wanted to die,” says Manoozh Noori. Four years later, the Afghan football player has just participated in a tournament in Morocco alongside other exiles for whom football has become a source of resistance and hope.
Before joining the Afghan refugee team, the 22-year-old wore her country’s colors in the national team, which represented a personal triumph for the then sports management student, who had to face opposition from her brothers to be able to play.
But, since the fall of Kabul, women have been banned from practicing and representing the country in any sport, in addition to being excluded from universities and, to a large extent, from the job market — a “gender apartheid”, according to the UN.
Before fleeing Afghanistan, Manoozh Noori, “desperate”, buried her trophies and medals in her backyard.
“I asked myself: should I continue living in this country? With these people who want to ban women from studying, playing football and doing anything?”, recalls the young woman, who now lives in Australia, like many of her teammates.
Life and hope
Formed gradually since May between Australia and Europe, his team played its first international matches at the end of October during a friendly tournament in Morocco.
Defeated by Chad and Tunisia, but victorious against Libya (7-0), the players lead a project that goes far beyond sport.
“There is no more freedom in Afghanistan, especially for Afghan women. But now we will be their voice,” said striker Nilab Mohammadi, 28, a former soldier who also played for the Afghan national team.
“For me, football is not just a sport, it represents life and hope”, he adds.
In Afghanistan, the players “were deprived of a dream”, but “when FIFA (International Football Federation) recognized us, it was as if part of that dream came true”, observed Mina Ahmadi.
“This new adventure is a happy moment for us. It won’t stop anytime soon, we will move forward”, declared the 20-year-old, who studies medicine at a university in an Australian city.
FIFA recognition
Although FIFA has not yet decided whether the refugee team will be able to play in other international matches, the players remain determined to go as far as possible.
“They seem like incredible women to me, they are strong, a source of inspiration. They had to overcome a lot of adversity to play football”, explains Aish Ravi, a specialist in gender equality in sport.
“This sport is more than a game, it symbolizes freedom for them”, adds the researcher, who worked with some Afghan players when they arrived in Australia in 2021.
“It’s very difficult to adapt to a country where you didn’t grow up. You miss your family and friends, but we had to move on,” said Mina Ahmadi, who dreams of playing for a European club and participating in a World Cup with the refugee team.
For Manoozh Noori, the objective is clear: for “this team to be recognized by FIFA as the Afghan women’s national team”.
