Politicians and cricket boards have urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take a stand against Afghanistan over Taliban violations of women’s rights.

The situation is sensitive and complex, with England’s men’s football team now being urged to boycott next month’s Champions League match against Afghanistan, and ECB chief Richard Gould writing to the ICC asking for changes.

Here’s everything we know so far…

Why are some calling for a boycott?

England are due to face Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy in Lahore on February 26, but there have been calls to boycott the match.

This comes amid growing abuses of women’s rights by the Taliban in Afghanistan, with the latest law banning women from speaking in public.

Boycotting men’s games would draw urgent attention to the plight of women’s teams while also setting a precedent for behavior that will not be tolerated in the sport.

What’s the background?

When the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, women’s rights began to deteriorate rapidly as they banned girls from schools and universities and raided the homes of female athletes, some of whom were forced to burn equipment to avoid detection.

This is not the first time women’s rights have been restricted by the Taliban, who ruled from 1996 until they were ousted in 2001.

The Taliban lifted their ban on cricket in 2000, allowing the sport to grow significantly.

In June 2017, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) persuaded the International Cricket Council (ICC) to grant it full member status, entitlement to the national men’s team to participate in official Test matches.

Despite failing to meet the standards of women’s cricket, they were granted membership as they believed progress would be made in the field.

In 2020, 25 women were awarded central contracts and featured in National Cricket Board advertising campaigns.

Yet a year later, when the Taliban returned to power, the women’s cricket team were forced to flee, seeking asylum in Pakistan before being granted emergency visas by Australia, where most of them now live.

Under Taliban rule, payments to the women’s team were cut off and despite repeated attempts, the team has not received contact from the ICC or ACB.

Who has spoken?

No one from Afghanistan’s men’s team publicly supported the women’s team.

However, various human rights groups have spoken out over the years.

2023, Human Rights Watch said this situation In Afghanistan, this is “a form of gender apartheid.”

What is happening in Afghanistan is a form of gender apartheid. Instead of upholding and supporting the rights of female athletes to participate in sports, it actively bans them. Athletes live in fear of being beaten or imprisoned simply for participating in sports.

last year, Amnesty International also urges ICC to stop ignoring women’s team Offering support to them, she said: “It’s absolutely terrible that the cricket team had to flee for safety, but it’s also very disappointing that Afghan women cricketers feel so let down by the International Cricket Council and the international cricket community. worry.

“The ICC is rightly committed to upholding anti-discrimination values ​​and therefore needs to stop ignoring Afghanistan’s brave ranks of women and start providing them with appropriate recognition and support.”

England women’s head coach Jon Lewis also expressed his support: “I think they should be playing. Everyone should have the right to represent their country in any sport they choose.

“The fact that they were denied that, from my perspective, I don’t think it was the right decision.”

Recently, a group of more than 160 politicians, including Nigel Farage, Jeremy Corbyn and Lord Kinnock, Signed a letter urging England to boycott.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called on the ICC to “make its own rules” and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the game “should go ahead” so as not to punish England, but suggested British politicians snub the initiative competition.

As pressure mounts on the European Central Bank, its president Richard Gould writes to colleagues at ICC The sport’s global governing body has been urged to consider taking action against the Afghanistan Cricket Board.

What has the International Criminal Court done?

In 2021, the ICC established an Afghanistan Working Group to help influence change and monitor the situation in the country.

However, the entire board is all-male and there is no representation from the Afghan women’s team.

Cricket captains have significantly increased Afghanistan’s budget after a meeting in 2023 but gave no update on the status of the women’s team.

While the women’s team was in exile, they were completely ignored by the ICC and there was no response from the governing body. sky sports’ Requesting comment on the situation.

But now as politicians join the discussion, A spokesman for the International Criminal Court told sky sports news: “The ICC remains closely monitoring the situation in Afghanistan and continues to work with our members.

“We are committed to using our influence constructively to support the ACB in promoting the development of cricket and ensuring playing opportunities for men and women in Afghanistan.

“The International Cricket Council has established a working group on Afghanistan Cricket, chaired by Vice-President Mr. Imran Khwaja, who will lead the ongoing dialogue on the matter.”

International Cricket Federation regulations state that possession of a women’s cricket team and a tunnel structure is a condition of full membership.

However, the men’s team has been allowed to participate in ICC matches without any sanctions.

Were there any boycotts before?

In January 2023, Australia withdrew from the men’s one-day series against Afghanistan, citing the Taliban’s decision to further restrict education for women and girls.

The ACB called the decision “unfair” and “pathetic”, with spinner Rashid Khan saying he was considering his future in Australia’s franchise tournament, the Big Bash League.

Rashid made a U-turn after fending off threats and was initially included in the Adelaide Strikers squad, but was later withdrawn due to a back injury.

Earlier this year, Australia canceled its T20 series against Afghanistan, citing deteriorating human rights conditions for women and girls in the Taliban-ruled country.

The ECB also maintained its stance of not arranging any bilateral cricket matches with Afghanistan.

However, it is also important to note that Australia and England have played Afghanistan in World Cup matches over the past 18 months, and there is no extension of the boycott to global ICC events, which carries greater risk and impact than seemingly unprofitable bilateral events. bigger. series.

In 2003, Nasser Hussein’s England canceled a World Cup match against Zimbabwe due to protests against Robert Mugabe’s regime, and then-prime minister Tony Blair urged the team not to travel to Harare.

“We have made our view very clear that (the players) should not go, (…) I hope they consider our advice. Whether they do so or not is their business,” Blair said at the time.

Following the boycott, England were docked points and withdrawn from the tournament.