Paris 2024 has become a means of resistance for female athletes who face gender segregation in their home country.
For the first time in Olympic history, there was complete gender parity on the field. the International Olympic Committee (IOC) reserved equal quota places for women and men.
The Games also featured a more gender-balanced sports program and a fairer medal distribution. As expected, both the IOC and fans celebrated this success with the hashtag #GenderEqualOlympics, but what about #GenderApartheid?
Gender apartheid refers to institutionalized oppression based on gender, including systematic violence and domination. Amnesty International called on all states, especially UN member states, to recognize it as a crime under international law.
Discussions about gender apartheid and the Olympics date back to the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Human Rights Watcha New York-based advocacy group, argued that Saudi Arabia should not compete without female athletes and launched the “No woman, no game“ campaign. As a result, the Gulf Kingdom sent two female athletes to the Olympic Games for the first time in 2012.
After worldwide calls from the “End gender apartheid” This year, in collaboration with the ISIS movement and Amnesty International on the plight of women and girls under the Islamic Republic of Iran and Taliban regimes, several notable events were held for female athletes who face systematic oppression or flee their countries.
A historic moment.
“FREE AFGHAN WOMEN”
Manizha Talash of Afghanistan at the first Olympic breaking competition. She loses her qualifying match, but not before pulling a cape out from under her sweater.
Talash represents the refugee team and is the first female representative of Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/gXaeo4Ka7n
— Sanny Rudravajhala (@Sanny_Rudra) 9. August 2024
“Don’t forget the girls in Afghanistan.”
Since 2021, women in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan have been systematically deprived of their rights. Currently, women and girls are prohibited from playing sports because there are no gender-specific sports facilities and no budget is allocated for such activities.
The IOC selected six athletes – three women and three men – to represent Afghanistan at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Atal Mashwani, spokesman for the Taliban’s sports directorate, rejected the female athletes. a press releaseand said: “Only three athletes represent Afghanistan.”
Many see the IOC’s decision to include female athletes from Afghanistan as a sign of hope and a sign that the oppressors will not win. Others, however, see it as a way to legitimize the unrecognized Taliban regime.
Among the critics is Friba Rezai, one of the first female athletes to represent Afghanistan at the Olympic Games. In a commentary for Die New York TimesShe argued that athletes fleeing Afghanistan should compete as refugees, since those who remain in the country have no opportunity to participate.
In fact, Afghan female athletes also competed on the refugee team. Manizha Talash made history by unveiling a cape with the words “Free Afghan Women” on it, despite being disqualified for her political statement.
Your message was well received when she urged: “Don’t forget the girls in Afghanistan. My participation shows their courage and that dreams can be realized even in captivity.”
