KABUL • Representing Afghanistan internationally should have been the highlight of Khalida Popal's career as a professional footballer, but life in the strife-torn country is never that simple.
It has been seven years since she was forced to leave her family and her homeland, terrified for her life and personal safety, after pioneering women's football in a country that has been described as one of the most dangerous places to be female.
She has paid a high price for becoming the face of the Afghanistan women's football team, with death threats forcing her to spend a year in an asylum centre before being granted permission to live in Denmark in 2012.
But Popal remains a local girl at heart, and despite having since suffered a career-ending knee injury, she has continued to organise training sessions for the team in other countries including Jordan, Japan and the United Arab Emirates.
These camps have brought together players from inside and outside Afghanistan, and the bonds forged have compelled Popal to speak out about the ordeal of Afghan women players and her frustrations with a system that has failed to protect them.
Last Sunday, the country's attorney general suspended Keramuddin Keram, the head of the Afghan Football Federation (AFF), and four others after a probe into allegations of sexual abuse of members of the women's national football team.
According to the attorney general's office, they are:
• The AFF's deputy president, Yosuf Kargar
• Its general secretary, Sayed Alireza Aghazada
• A coach in charge of goalkeepers, Abdul Saboor Walizada
• An official in charge of liaison with provincial football teams, Nadir Alimi
While the investigation is still ongoing, Fifa has provisionally banned Keram from all football-related activities for 90 days "pending proceedings".
His name brings back harrowing memories for Popal. In a telephone interview with the New York Times, she claimed "the president of AFF and some trainers are raping and sexually harassing female players".
The 31-year-old also revealed to The Guardian the purported transgressions were as recent as February, when the players flew to Jordan from Afghanistan while being accompanied by two men.
"They (the AFF) sent two male representatives, going under the title of 'head of women's football' and 'assistant coach'," she said.
"They were bullying and harassing the girls, particularly the ones from Afghanistan because they knew they wouldn't speak up. I confronted them, told them they can't do that and I'd make a complaint.
"It continued. These guys were calling on the rooms of the players and sleeping with the girls. AFF staff members would say to girls that they could get them on the team list and would pay them £100 (S$173) a month if they would say yes to everything.
"They were pushing and forcing the girls. Coercing them."
When the players threatened to complain, Keram, who wields considerable political influence as a former governor of Panjshir Province, allegedly beat one of them with a snooker cue, and threw her and eight other women off the team, labelling them "lesbians".
After learning that the nine players had been sidelined, she went on to do her own investigation, only to find out the "huge extent of the abuse".
Popal added: "He (Keram) has a room inside his office that is a bedroom with a bed. The doors of his office (have) fingerprint recognition, so when players go in, they can't get out without his fingerprint.
"I found some of the girls were sexually abused, and physically abused if they said no. The federation would make an excuse to get rid of the player so that if they came out (and spoke publicly), it would look like they were just upset about being kicked off the team."
American Kelly Lindsey, the former national coach, corroborated Popal's account, saying the two male officials that were involved in the Jordan case had been "promoted and moved to other areas in the AFF".
The federation has, however, denied the allegations, calling them "groundless", while insisting it had "a zero-tolerance policy towards any type of such behaviour".
NYTIMES, REUTERS, THE GUARDIAN
England soccer captain Harry Kane received the MBE award on Thursday for services to football after leading the national team to the World Cup semi-final in Russia last summer.
England soccer captain Kane honoured at Buckingham Palace
The quarter finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup kick off tonight! Evra, van Persie & Fellaini and Januzaj are still in the hunt! We've felt a void the past two days with no football - well now it's finally back with an action-packed evening of quarter-final action: France vs. Germany and Brazil vs. Columbia.
Liverpool and FIFA Club World Cup - Confusion after Reds
It has emerged in locations like China, Europe, the United States, South America, India, Australia, South Korea and Japan. The Straits Times reported on Tuesday that 11 here have been infected since 2012. Three of those infected, including one of two deaths, were treated at Singapore General Hospital between 2012 and 2017.
NewspaperSG - The Straits Times, 28 February 2001
eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Issue/straitstimes20010228
Home now says it's going for double too Gerard Wong SOCCEF THE intense annual rivalry between Home United and Singapore Armed Forces FC has begun. And all it took to kickstart the anticipated S-League title race between the two clubs from the uniformed groups yesterday was a six-word statement from
Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur recently revealed that they are going to Singapore and Shanghai during the summer as they prepare for the 2019-20 campaign. According to the club website
Tottenham confirms Singapore stop during pre-season tour
The Merlion Cup returns for an eighth edition this June in a new format after a 10-year hiatus. First introduced in 1982, the invitational tournament was an annual affair until 1986 and saw participation from teams hailing from 18 countries including Australia, Iraq, China and Chile in past editions.
Merlion Cup returns after 10 years - au.sports.yahoo.com
Manchester United produced their least impressive performance under interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the Norwegian offered rare starts to some out-of-favour big names in Saturday's FA Cup third round win over second-tier Reading.
Solskjaer unimpressed as United ease past Reading in Cup
Egyptian football star Mohamed "Mo" Salah has called for change in the way women are treated in the Muslim world, in an interview with Time magazine published Wednesday. The 26-year-old
Mohamed Salah wants the Muslim world to treat its women
Alan Archibald says Partick Thistle could have claimed maximum points in the draw with Partick Thistle. Alan Archibald rues missed chances in St Mirren draw. 25 Apr 2014 thing is we
El Clasico: Barcelona rues missed chances in draw vs Real
Football: Solskjaer wants more than caretaker role after 100
Singapore came out on the losing end on a day where regional markets drifted about looking for something to spark trading interest. The Straits Times Index (STI) climbed in the morning session and appeared to stay strong during most of the afternoon but ultimately gave up all gains to close 0.06 per cent or 1.89 points lower at 3,198.39.
Arsenal start 2019 on the front foot with 4-1 thrashing of Fulham
Bayern Munich forward Sandro Wagner on Wednesday joined Tianjin Teda in the Chinese Super League (CSL) for a reported transfer fee of five million euros and a hefty pay packet. A growing number of
Sandro Wagner completes move from Bayern Munich to Tianjin
LONDON - Son Heung-min once again proved there is more to Tottenham Hotspur than Harry Kane as the South Korean's late goal secured a 1-0 home win over Manchester City in an absorbing Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.
Football: Son's late winner gives Tottenham edge over Man
Ex-Dutch youth international Maguire seeks soaring start with Geylang : Ex-Utrecht and ex-Dutch youth international, out with injury for 2 years, wants to rebuild
DANIEL MAGUIRE PAPERS // Archives // Raynor Memorial
LONDON (Reuters) - Rescuers ended their search on Thursday for the plane carrying Premier League soccer player Emiliano Sala, which disappeared over the English Channel three days ago, after saying there was little chance anyone aboard had survived. Sala, Cardiff City's new signing, and the plane's
Rescuers end search for plane carrying missing soccer star
watch coppa america live streaming qatar
watch coppa america live streaming twitch
watch soccer live stream hunter
watch arsenal southampton premier league live stream
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
watch soccer aid live stream online
watch coppa america live streaming rcti
watch sky sports premier league online free streaming live
watch indian premier league live stream online
watch soccer live stream app
watch champions league live streaming mobile
watch soccer online free streaming live hd
watch coppa america live streaming sub eng
watch coppa america live streaming juventus
watch coppa america live streaming manchester united
watch coppa america live streaming in india
watch soccer online free streaming live canada
watch live soccer game today
watch premier league live in stream
watch soccer live streaming kenya
watch sky sports premier league live stream
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming online free
watch the premier league live stream
watch soccer aid live stream
watch champions league live streaming now tv
watch live streaming soccer online espn3
watch champions league live streaming xbox
watch champions league live streaming zee tv
watch premier league live streaming xfinity
watch coppa america live streaming quality
watch coppa america live streaming kenya
watch champions league live streaming canada
watch english premier league live streaming hd
watch coppa america live streaming xfinity
watch soccer live streaming qatar
watch epl live streaming free no sign up
watch champions league live streaming eng
watch soccer online free streaming live iphone
watch coppa america live streaming uk
watch champions league semi final draw live stream
watch soccer online free live streaming livetv ru
watch premier league live stream hd
watch premier league live streaming vf
watch champions league live streaming pc
apps to watch live streaming soccer
super soccer tv live streaming piala dunia
watch soccer live streaming xbox one
watch premier league live streaming xbox one
watch usa soccer live stream online
watch champions league live streaming video
how to watch soccer live streaming free
watch soccer live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch live soccer online free streaming now
watch iceland soccer live stream
watch champions league live streaming ptv sports
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online
watch champions league live streaming xfinity
free watch soccer live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming online free
watch premier league darts live stream
watch live soccer streaming free android
www.watch premier league live stream.com
watch soccer online free streaming live south africa
watch soccer online free streaming live india
watch soccer games online free streaming live
super soccer tv live streaming indonesia
watch soccer am live stream
watch live streaming soccer games
watch live soccer streaming on android
watch coppa america live streaming online
soccer tv live football streaming gratuit
watch soccer saturday live stream
watch premier league live streaming xbox
watch coppa america live streaming hd free
watch premier league live streaming live free
watch soccer live streaming kenya vs ethiopia
watch coppa america live streaming video
watch live soccer stream android
where to watch free live soccer streaming online
watch champions league live streaming now free
watch champions league live streaming live
free live football streams watch live streaming tv premier league
watch soccer live stream apk
watch live stream soccer games online free
watch champions league live streaming vf
watch coppa america live streaming crictime
how to watch champions league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming now
watch champions league draw live streaming
soccer tv live football streaming portugal
watch soccer online free streaming live app
watch uefa champions league live streaming youtube
khan tv pw watch indian premier league 2018 live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming free
watch premier league live streaming juventus
watch coppa america live streaming pc
watch champions league draw live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming without cable
watch champions league live streaming jamaica
watch coppa america live streaming sctv
tv soccer live stream sky
watch premier league live streaming quality
watch epl live streaming on iphone
watch soccer online free streaming live bbc
watch champions league live streaming espn
watch premier league live streaming youtube
watch coppa america live streaming philippines
live football watch free live football streaming free soccer
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online india
watch champions league final live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming gratis
watch soccer online free streaming live espn
watch coppa america live streaming xbox
watch premier league live streaming free
watch soccer online free streaming live batman
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch coppa america live streaming game
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming mexico
watch champions league final live streaming online
watch soccer online free streaming live uk
watch indian premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming cricfree
watch live streaming soccer manchester united
watch soccer live streaming juventus
watch coppa america live streaming nz
watch coppa america live streaming indosiar
watch premier league live streaming live
watch coppa america live streaming app
watch premier league stream reddit
watch coppa america live streaming jamaica
watch coppa america live streaming youtube
watch soccer live streaming jamaica
watch premier league live streaming vk
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online reddit
watch barclays premier league online live streaming
watch champions league live streaming xbox one
watch premier league live streaming online
how to watch premier league live streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live youtube
watch coppa america live streaming vf
watch premier league live streaming video
watch soccer live streaming qatar vs philippines
watch soccer online free streaming live dracula
watch soccer am online live streaming
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming free online
#klopp #frasitrap #valcea #footballmeme #liverpool #livestreaming #calciatoribrutti #league1 #freekicks #footballfans #gooners #realmadrid #battuteepiche #mane #premierleague #sunderlandafc #hotcoffee #manunited #soccerbible #nutmeg #conference #freekickerz #lovefootball #24x7 #messi #zidane #Suarez #coutinho #noelgallagher #chocolatecoffee #alissonbecker #arsenal #americanfootball #insegreto #footballmemes #streamingbolaid #arsenalnews #bundesliga #thomasmeunier #zinedinezidane #linkstreaming #footballdubai #oasisofficial #Barca #livestreams #mancity #premierleague #manchestercity #freekick #bestshishacafedubai #league2 #romania #trollfootball #lionelmessi #Bar #barcelona #juventus #nationsleague #Liverpool #villarealcf #rockstar #uefanationsleague #bayervshoffenheim #MyDubai #rugby #beatifulgame #copaamerica #frasirap #realmadrid #bayernmunich #londoncity #JUVENTUS #Celtic #chocolate #england #mancityvsliverpool #panini #footballschedule #football #liverpool #cristianoronaldo #afcnews #myfootballuniverse #mensnightout #manchesterunited #gym #midnight
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen