What's happened
Fariba Hashimi, an Afghan-born cyclist based in Italy, has won silver in the women’s road race near Nagoya, Japan. She trained in disguise during her teenage years to pursue cycling after fleeing the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Hashimi aims to inspire Afghan women and hopes for further progress in Kabul and beyond.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- Hashimi’s silver medal highlights resilience among Afghan women under restrictive rule.
- The story underscores how geopolitical upheaval shapes athletic pathways, with athletes seeking training abroad to circumvent domestic barriers.
- The coverage points to broader questions about women’s rights in Afghanistan and the potential impact on future generations of athletes.
- Going forward, Hashimi’s success could elevate discussions about female participation in sport amid political repression and influence international support networks.
Key questions
- Will Hashimi’s silver inspire more Afghan women to pursue competitive cycling?
- How will Taliban leadership respond to international visibility of Afghan women in sports?
How we got here
Hashimi fled Afghanistan after the Taliban’s 2021 return to power and now trains in Italy with support from former champion Alessandra Cappellotto. She and her sister Yulduz began cycling early, facing threats and attacks in Afghanistan as they pursued sport.
Our analysis
Arab News reports Hashimi’s training in disguise and silver medal in Nagoya; BBC Business notes her Italian training base and earlier Paris Olympic appearance; Al Jazeera and The Guardian corroborate her statements about facing attacks and her hope for future generations.
Go deeper
- What barriers remain for Afghan women in sports today?
- Could Hashimi’s success affect policy or donor support for Afghan athletes?
- Where will Hashimi train ahead of Los Angeles 2028?
More on these topics
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Nagoya - City in Japan
Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is Japan's fourth-largest incorporated city and the third most populous urban area.
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Taliban
The Taliban or Taleban, who refer to themselves as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, are a Sunni Islamic fundamentalist political movement and military organization in Afghanistan currently waging war within that country.
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Fariba Hashimi - Afghan cyclist
Fariba Hashimi is an Afghan racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Women's WorldTeam Ceratizit Pro Cycling. She competed in the road race at the 2024 Paris Olympics alongside her sister Yulduz, despite the Taliban government's ban on women in sports.
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Italy - Country in Europe
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a sovereign country consisting of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and surrounded by several islands. Italy is located in south-central Europe, and is considered part of western Europe.
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Faryab Province - Province of Afghanistan
Faryab (Pashto, Dari: فاریاب) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, which is located in the north of the country bordering neighboring Turkmenistan. It has a population of about 1,109,223, which is multi-ethnic and mostly a tribal society. The province encompasses 15 districts and over 1,000 villages. The capital of Faryab province is Maymana. It also borders Jowzjan Province, Sar-e Pol Province, Ghor Province and Badghis Province.
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Alessandra Cappellotto - Italian racing cyclist
Alessandra Cappellotto (born 27 August 1968) is a retired racing cyclist from Italy. She represented her native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics: 1996, and 2000. She won the world title in the women's individual road race at the 1997 UCI Road...
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Afghanistan - Country in South Asia
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central and South Asia.
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Japan - Country in East Asia
Japan is an island country of East Asia in the northwest Pacific Ocean. It borders the Sea of Japan to the west and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.
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Asian Games - Asian multi-sport event
The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games.