Afghan sprinter Kimia Yousofi said she will represent "the stolen dreams and aspirations" of women in her homeland after being named as part of the nation's six-strong team for the Paris Olympics.
The 100-metre sprinter was Afghanistan's flag-bearer at the Tokyo Games three years ago, but fled her home country to neighbouring Iran to escape persecution when the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.
She was one of five athletes and administrators, plus families, with ties to the Olympic movement who received safe passage into Australia a year later.
"It's an honour to represent the girls of my homeland once again. Girls and women who have been deprived of basic rights, including education, which is the most important one," the 28-year-old said via the Australian Olympic Committee.
"I represent the stolen dreams and aspirations of these women. Those who don't have the authority to make decisions as free human beings.
"They don't even have the permission to enter a park.
"I'm deeply grateful to all those who have stood by me on this journey and made this possible," she added.
A gender-balanced team of three men and three women will represent Afghanistan in Paris later this month in a symbolic move for the first summer Olympics since the Taliban took over in Kabul.
The women will compete in athletics and cycling while their male counterparts will feature in athletics, swimming and judo.
They were selected by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in consultation with Afghanistan's largely exiled National Olympic Committee.
All of them, except the judoka, are based outside Afghanistan with the team competing under the black, red and green flag and anthem of the Western-backed former republic, which was ousted by the Taliban.
The IOC has refused to accredit any officials from the Taliban, who on Monday said they do not recognise Yousofi or her two female colleagues.
"Only three athletes are representing Afghanistan," said Atal Mashwani, the spokesman of the Taliban government's sports directorate, referring to the male competitors.
"Currently, in Afghanistan girls' sports have been stopped. When girls' sport isn't practised, how can they go on the national team?" he told AFP.
Mashwani's comments were contradicted by Afghanistan Olympic Committee president Yonus Popalzay, who acknowledged the three women on the team for Paris including Yousofi.
“We are delighted having three female athletes for the first time in an Olympic Games," Popalzay said in a statement. “We highly appreciate the AOC for the support extended to Kimia Yousofi.
AOC chief executive Matt Carroll said Yousofi's story is "one of inspiration for women and girls in Afghanistan, and anywhere in the world, who are denied basic rights, including the right to freely practice sport.”
Gender apartheid
The Taliban have used their austere interpretation of Islam to erode the rights of women, who are de facto barred from sports and have restricted access to public spaces as well as education and certain jobs.
The United Nations has described the restrictions as "gender apartheid".
Dozens of other Afghan athletes, including members of the women's cricket and football teams, have moved to Australia.
The IOC banned Afghanistan from the Olympics in 1999, during the first period of Taliban rule between 1996 and 2001 when women were also barred from sport.
This time the IOC has taken a different approach – approving the Afghan team under a system ensuring all 206 nations are represented, in cases where athletes wouldn't otherwise qualify.

Yusofi's Australian coach John Quinn will be the Afghanistan team's head coach in France, the Australian Olympic Committee said.
He praised Yousofi, who will be at her third Olympics, as an inspiration to her training partners.
"On the track she has improved enormously technically since coming here and she has a great squad around her," he said.
"But when you consider everything else she has had to juggle – training, a new language, getting her family here, all those things, she has been amazing.
"Her efforts have certainly inspired the other squad members. Now she finds herself on the world stage again in Paris."
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
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Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
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Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
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Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
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