How Afghanistan women’s football teammade it to Australia. The Australian Government has granted the women in Afghanistan the opportunity to play for Australia.
From January 1st onwards, Afghanistan’s women’s national team will be playing in two international championships to be held in Australia. And they have been granted permission to wear an extra special kit for the World Cup final – an Afghan national team kit that includes a hijab, which is the country’s national dress.
After the World Cup was completed this year, Australia became the first country to join the International Women’s Football Association
In 2012, Afghanistan hosted its first international women’s tournament – the Asian Women’s Cup. The team, consisting mainly of underprivileged girls, managed to reach the semi-finals. After a tough fight, they lost 2-0 to China.
Their second international encounter was at the 2012 London Olympics. The team finished in last place in their group.
In Australia, two years can pass in as little as 15 days. This means that Afghanistan is allowed only two months to prepare for the international competition that is to be held in late January.
Their only equipment for the tournament, aside from some training shirts, is a plastic water bottle, which is used to clean the goalkeeper’s boots.
This is where the idea of wearing a hijab comes into the picture. When asked about the kit, the team’s coach, Roshan, explained: “Some people are interested in it.”
He then added that a player for Afghanistan, Amro Ali, can’t wear a headscarf as he is a member of the parliament. This puts everyone in the team at risk of imprisonment.
The reason behind Amro’s rule is that the government forbids a lot of things that are in accordance with Islam.
When asked if he was worried that the team would be banned from participating in the World Cup, he replied, “Yes, we’re worried about it.”
However, he added, the team will not allow the team’s leader, Roshan, to wear a headscarf.
Another concern he raised was how the government’s ban on the hijab has affected the players’ lives. “Some of them are afraid to wear it
