The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been asked to suspend the Afghanistan men’s cricket team due to the atrocities by the ruling Taliban regime on women and girls across the country. The request was made by Human Rights Watch to the ICC chairman Jay Shah.
Human Rights Watch is an independent, international, non-governmental organisation that conducts research and advocacy on human rights abuses by various regimes around the world.
The NGO wrote to Jay Shah with the subject of the email being “Suspending the Afghanistan Cricket Board and Implementing a Human Rights Policy” and described the deteriorating condition of women across Afghanistan.
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ICC told to suspend Afghanistan men’s team
In a letter to the ICC, Human Rights Watch asked the ICC to suspend Afghanistan from playing international cricket till the conditions get better for women and girls across the country.
“We are writing at this time to urge the International Cricket Council (ICC) to suspend Taliban-run Afghanistan from ICC membership, and from participating in international cricket, until women and girls can once again participate in education and sport in the country,” the email said.
“We also urge the ICC to implement a human rights policy based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. We also urge the ICC to implement a human rights policy based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights,” it added.
The NGO reminded the ICC of their own regulations regarding the promotion of women’s cricket. It also mentioned the deteriorating situation of women in Afghanistan under Taliban rule in the last few years.
“We note that you have pledged ‘to allocate more resources to women’s cricket’ during your tenure at the helm of global cricket and ‘champion the ICC’s mission further by allocating more resources and attention to women’s cricket’.
“However, since retaking power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed a long and growing list of rules and policies that bars women and girls from exercising their fundamental rights, including to freedom of expression and movement, many forms of employment, and education beyond sixth grade. These affect virtually all their rights, including to life, livelihood, shelter, health care, food, and water,” the letter said.
The Human Rights Watch further blamed the ACB for not being able to comply with the ICC’s rules on the promotion of women’s cricket. It also reminded that cricket is a part of the next Olympics and not allowing Afghan women to play the sport is a serious violation.
“By not allowing women and girls to play cricket, and not allowing a national team for women and girls to compete internationally, the Afghanistan Cricket Board is failing to abide by this Anti-Discrimination Policy,” Human Rights Watch said.
“We note that cricket has been included as a sport in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, and yet the Taliban’s ban on women and girls participating in the sport is a severe violation of the Olympic Charter’s guarantee that ‘the practice of sport is a human right’,” it added.
The ICC has been asked to follow in the footsteps of the IOC in this matter and take strict action regarding the participation of Afghan women in cricket. The NGO further called for the ICC’s commitment towards human rights regardless of the situation.
“The International Cricket Council should follow in the steps of other sport governing bodies, such as the International Olympic Committee, by calling on the Taliban to include Afghan women and girls in sport, and committing to a human rights frame work,” the letter concluded.
Women’s cricket in Afghanistan
The situation of women’s cricket in the country is unfortunate but a very delicate issue. Since the Taliban took over the country in 2021, the situation has worsened for women. Many of the women even managed to flee the country and are living in exile.
Not only playing sports, girls have also been barred from being educated after sixth grade which raises serious concerns over their rights. Just before the Taliban regime took over, the ACB had agreed to contract 25 women’s players.
Most of these contacted players live in Australia and even participated in an exhibition match between Afghanistan Women’s XI and Without Borders XI at Junction Oval in Melbourne.
Recently, the ECB was pressurised by the country’s parliament to boycott their match against Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy. However, the board went ahead with the game as England suffered a shocking defeat to bow out of the tournament.
