Maybe it’s because I love giving a voice to the youth, telling stories of courage and hope, and shedding light on the struggles of women and girls who, in some parts of the world, risk their lives just for being themselves, without the luxury of dreams or rights. Maybe it’s because of my relationship with cycling, where you often fall but get back up again and my deep affection for Afghanistan and the Middle East. But I just had to share the incredible story of the Hashimi sisters, who are currently competing in the Paris Olympics.
There are others who have defended athletes like the Algerian Imane Khelif from racist and discriminatory attacks far better than I ever could. I hope that by talking about Fariba and Yulduz Hashimi, we can highlight the powerful role that sport can play for girls and young women, allowing them to be themselves and realise their rights without compromise.
The Hashimi sisters managed to escape the Taliban regime in 2021, making their way to Santorso with the help of Road to Equality, an organisation founded by former cyclist Alessandra Cappellotto, who has a gold and two bronze world medals. Fariba and Yulduz started cycling six years ago in Faryab, one of Afghanistan's most traditional provinces, initially doing so in secret, disguised as men. Today, they are part of a team of six athletes (three women and three men) representing Afghanistan at Paris 2024. They chose to compete not as refugees but under the Afghan flag, which the Taliban authorities do not recognise, because they firmly believe that things need to change and wanted to send a strong and clear message.
Fariba and Yulduz are fully aware of the risks they face but show extraordinary courage in standing up to the Taliban regime. Their family, still in Afghanistan, has had to move four times in the past year.
Their example has been followed by Kimia Yousofi, a 28-year-old political refugee in Australia, who finished last in the preliminary 100-metre race. After her race, she removed her bib, defying Rule 50 (which bans political, religious, and racial demonstrations during the Games), and showed the message "Education, sport, our rights," offering words of encouragement to all young Afghan women to keep fighting, find opportunities, and seize them.
Telling these stories wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Road to Equality (RTE). This amateur sports association promotes the empowerment of women in developing countries and those where basic rights are denied, supporting them in their journey of self-determination, both in sports and socioeconomically. RTE is inspired by Goal 5 of the UN 2030 Agenda, which aims to "achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls" and "promote equal rights at all levels of participation." They believe that sport, particularly cycling, is an effective and universally recognised way to reach this goal.
RTE works wherever women want to cycle, assert themselves as athletes, and grow as individuals. Their efforts span Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Iran, Latvia, Mexico, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Ghana, Morocco, and Sierra Leone. Road to Equality's journey began in Rwanda, and the latest requests are now coming from Iran, because, as Alessandra Cappellotto reminds us, the dreams of a girl are the same all over the world.
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