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Sadaf Rahimi, in pink, throws a punch with her older sister, Shabnam, in the background on Dec. 17, 2011. They are working out in the Ghazi Stadium in Kabul, Afghanistan.
KABUL – It was known as the stadium of death. Ghazi Stadium was where the Taliban held public executions, stonings and mutilations during their brutal rule of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. This once blood-soaked pitch is now a field of dreams.
The stadium was recently reopened after a U.S.- funded refurbishment and thousands of Afghan athletes gathered to celebrate the event.
It is impossible to forget the dark history of this arena, but Mohammed Sabher Sharifi is determined to move on.
"There were many people killed, especially women. Now it is for the young generation of sportsmen, especially the females,” Sharifi said Sunday as he pointed toward an Olympic flag which stands next to the Afghan flag and will remain there until the 2012 games.
As a member of the Afghan National Olympic committee and coach of the women's boxing team, Sharifi faces a daunting task. He wants to create a winning team of female boxers.
Every afternoon, in the basement of Ghazi Stadium, in a small, dusty room with battered punch bags and cracked mirrors he oversees 20 teenage girls, as they jump, jog, jab and thrust.
Shah Marai / AFP - Getty Images
Afghan boxing coach Sabher Sharifi trains girls as they take part in a boxing training session at the Ghazi Stadium in Kabul in January 2011.
Photoblog: Young Afghan women at boxing training session in Kabul
"Yes, you see, the girls, they can do anything – and look at their strong punches!” he exclaimed.
The young Afghan boxers arrive at practice fully covered, looking like demure young ladies, but within 10 minutes of starting their rigorous workout, their headscarves are cast off, and they look like sportswomen from all over the world, glowing with health and beaming with hope.
The stars of the team are the Rahimi sisters – 18-year-old Shabnam and 17-year-old Sadaf. At the recent World Boxing Championship in Tajikistan, Shabnam won a gold medal and Sadaf a silver medal, making Afghan sports history.
Boxing is an unusual choice for any young woman, anywhere in the world, but in deeply conservative Afghanistan, it is an act of courage.
“Yes, we have a lot of problems. Here in Afghanistan they think we should stay home, not go to school, and never boxing,” said Sadaf. She said they have received threatening phone calls, but that has not stopped them.
Shabnam, her older sister, said she boxes not just for herself, but for her country. “My dream is that I should represent my country all over the world, especially in the Olympics, raising the flag for my country.”
Shah Marai / AFP - Getty Images
Afghan girls practice during a boxing training session in Ghazi Stadium in Kabul in January 2011.
She brushed aside local criticism of female boxing. "I just want to box, shoulder to shoulder with the men, and show I can do it."
Her sister, Sadaf, added, "When we were little, we had a male cousin who was a boxer, and we wanted to be like him."
They both realize that they are among the first generation of women to be granted this opportunity to fight; women boxing in public or competing in sports was a punishable offense under the Taliban. Women's boxing is a new Olympic sport, too. The International Olympic Committee only voted to include women's boxing in the 2012 Summer Games in London in August 2009.
Coach Sharifi said he has faith in his team, but that they need help, especially financially.
"We get $1 a day for each athlete. What shall we do? We have poor equipment, we cannot train like others," he said. The team cannot afford to buy decent punching bags, let alone build a proper boxing ring.
Shah Marai / AFP - Getty Images
Young Afghan wrestlers compete in a bout at the Ghazi Stadium in Kabul on May 12, 2011. The Ghazi stadium has returned to its former status as Kabul's premier sporting venue after being used for public executions by the Taliban during the late 1990s.
But Shabnam remains optimistic. Raising her fists in the air, and with halting English she said, "I see you London 2012!"
The sisters may not win medals at the Olympic Games. Indeed they may not even qualify for the games. They need to win their places in May at the World Boxing Championships in Qinhuangdao, China.
But they have already won a victory: They have shown what Afghan young women who pack a punch can achieve. The Olympic dream is theirs.
Related link: Afghanistan’s National Olympic Committee web site
Leave a Comment:
I admire these women with what they are up against, the determination to succeed against some heavy odds.
A dollar a day is sad, I wish I could help.
Oh Great! What is Hillary up to now! You know she is some how behind this and God knows what she has up her sleeve.
Kevin: Your male insecurities are showing.
You've got to admire these athletic women, though they will probably be killed before it's all over. They have the stuff of martyrs and champions in them.
WOW, I am truly shocked that my comment was collapsed. Can anyone tell me why?
Gwad! I hope these women well. I know I'll get plenty of argument, but I just can't help myself. As a male, I feel Women and Children are to be cherished above all others. Course that leaves only us males. Even so, men have historically treated themselves over and above women and children. Why?, I have never understood. Women are such luscious beings. Children are so innocent and adoring of the grownups. May these women grow strong, independent and happy, absent fear and oppression.
Kevin.... hmmmm
Tacky, insensitive and political without being funny. (it's okay if it's funny) Most of us just clicked no value.
(you did ask)
Mac Forrester,
I wish all men felt this way! Are you a southern gentleman? I wish I lived in the southern united states, it seems one of the only places left where women are treated like the Goddesses they really are!
My favorite book is Restoring the Goddess by Barbara G Walker, in that book she talks about equal "rites" for women and how Goddess Worship instead of the mass hysteria over "god worship" would in fact save the planet and especially the women and children in it... this makes sense to me! If everyone treated women and children as gifts from the Goddess Herself, and treated Mother Earth as a Goddess to be cared for and all her creatures and life in it, what a beautiful world this would be!
I really believe that male dominated religions of war gods were brutally forced onto our peaceful loving Goddess worshipping ancestors that peacefully worshiped life (Goddess), women and children!
cg, thanks. I was being sarcastic and at the same time expressing my impressiveness of Hillary Clinton. I love the way she works and am most impressed with her ability to take control of negotiations with the most powerful leaders of the world. (I am just sarcastic at base line in my comments and hope that others can see this and all sides of an issue in which to debate)
Heather: Here's to Restoring the Goddess! Wonderful book.
Another that I cherish is The Chalice and the Blade, Riane Eisler. From the book: We either continue in the patriarchal mode and destroy humankind or return to the life-affirming, cooperative patterns of the Goddess--a system that is neither matriarchy nor patriarchy, but one of shared responsibilities and rewards where all work in harmony with nature and celebrate life rather than aggression and death. Eisler's study is worthwhile reading for anyone wishing to look at our heritage from something other than a patriarchal point of view.
Nice start Afghan, before 9/11 women was wearing a cover her face and was respectful, wearing gloves was never heard of! after US invaded Afghanistan things are going the other way around for Women now, thanks to US influence Women can uncover her face and ware gloves instead! what a big change! is this one of W. Bush vision?
Dont you think! Women of Afghan needs education first before Gloves?
Heather-2379064#1.7: Ma'am: I was born and raised in Northeast Georgia. I am an American and a Southerner. I am one of 16 children ( 13 lived to adulthood ). 9 boys and 7 girls. 1 girl died not long after childbirth at age18. 1 female baby and 1 male baby died just a few days after being born. My father was a Farmer, Baptist Preacher and Magistrate Judge all at the same time. One of the hottest tempered, compassionate and "lamb, gentle men I ever have known. My mother was a "lunchroom cook" at a local school when she met my father. After they married she was a homemaker. A very beautiful lady was she, great compassion, consideration, gentleness, and when angered, her ire would have given the devil a heart attack. My father felt toward her and us as he did all women and children respectfully. As He explained to us boys. " When you're in the presence of a woman you're in the presence of the physical giver of life" "We'll all find out about the hereafter when we get there" "Right now, the greatest happiness we'll all ever know will be from the women among us". "Same with the children". "She bears them for us". "We must treat them just as I preach the way we are to treat God". My fathers brothers held the same view and adhered to it, as far as I am aware. I learned some of my feeling from example, but I think much of it is probably genetic. I know of "Barbara Walkers" book. My wife has read it. I haven't, but I plan to, since both you and she have now told me about it. Of course, there were some contentions between my mother and father, myself and my wife, my brothers and their wives, yet, never with the strength to more than cause the flame to slightly flicker. By the way, my father was not the stereotypical Baptist preacher of today. He was a Unionist and an FDR progressive.
Addendum: Please excuse the poor spelling. Also the 18 year old sister died after giving birth. The baby lived. A little girl! I did in fact see the mistakes after I posted, but this program will hardly ever allow me to edit. Additionally, one of my grandsons was poking at me, urging me to get off the computer so He and I could play a game of Billiards. The little varmint thinks he can beat me. Best Regards Ma'am
I am so glad to see this type of attitude i am behind them 100% i also Cherish what i have with my wife and kids. My little girl also competes in Martial Arts. I hope to see them in the olympics good luck Girls...
We like Hill. She's doing a helluva job as S/State.
A break an Islamic hell hole and soon it may be back to square one with world turning the other way!
At first I thought of leaving a nasty comment here about women, but the above posts called on my better spirits. I think the point I would've loved to make, albeit less articulately and respectfully, is that men should not conflate treating women as goddesses with being Mr. Nice guy. No human being (man or woman) is always nice, and women will properly distrust any man who is always nice to them. They'll figure he must be up to something, and they're usually right. At least that's the prevailing attitude in these nothern states. Perhaps you guys in the south live on a different planet where nice guys finish first.
For all those people who think that our efforts there have been in vain, this story shows that is not true. These young girls are following a dream they would never have been able to had we not gone there.
Or had the Soviets not been thrown out. That was when women had the most freedom in Afghanistan. Sigh.
Major, this is a very rare and isolated "good thing". 99.9% of the people of Afganastan are still killing each other and treating their women like caged animals
Kevin your such a party pooper....even a small grain of rice can create a ripple in a pond.
@ Melissa
If not for the Cold War we would not have backed the Taliban to help fight the Soviets and we would have saved ourselves the trouble going back into Afghanistan to fight the Taliban. In fact we would not have had to experience the 9/11 attacks and see the countless number of lives lost.
It's good to see things are getting better for them and I wish those girls the best of luck.
@ jpeyton76
I would argue that 9/11 attacks would not have occurred if we had not intervened and backed the mujahadeen fighters against the Soviet forces in the first place. Afghanistan, like Vietnam, serve no strategic value to the U.S. and we only went in there just to spite the the Soviet Union (this was evident when we abandoned Afghans after the end of Soviet-Afghan War). Our past intervention was an exercise in hubris and we paid dearly for that on September 11, 2001.
There won't be major changes unless the Islamic and tribal baggages are dumped into garbage dump.
It may take at least five decades for these changes.
What a Major Dream Mike! wearing gloves is a a good dream for women hooha
The Larry Holmes vs Randall "Tex" Cobb 1982 fight retired Howard Cosell from ever being a boxing commentator again and caused me to rethink the value of boxing as a sport in general. To even think of boxing as a worthy dream for girls to pursue is appalling and should be of concern to any who care for the health and future quality of life of their daughters and or sisters.
I wish them luck!
What they are doing is admirable. However, they may have to use some of their new skills kicking the asses of local (retarded) males, who undoubtedly will try to bully them.
My oh My Muslim women learning to defend themselves. This won't make much difference though as long as Islam remains an oppressive male dominated religion. You have to change the source if you want to really change a culture.
fight, you have no respect for Islam. (therefor, you MUST DIE in the name of Allah)
Everyone should read the book, Restoring the Goddess by Barbara G Walker! She talks about if religion were feminine instead of masculine how this would save women, children and the world, that makes sense to me! It's my favorite book!
Heatherthe goddess reawakened by Klimt is another source that might inspire you. Wonderful artist who visually elevated women. If you click on my name and go to my friends list and then click on Loretta Kemsley you will find a staunch feminist writer and columnist who regularly has articles on the subject. See you on her vine. Take care FFF
What women need to do in Afghanistan is to make the Men fear them. Gang up on a few and beat the hell out of them. Stone the men.
Tarzan, these women need to be caged in the name of Allah
Boxing skills alone won't accomplish what your talking about. Women need to know how to defend themselves from their back because if the attacker is male and much larger than they are, that's where they will almost likely end up; if he's dumb enough to attack standing up from the rear, he deserves to eat an elbow to the side of the head and get knocked out. That means wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (understanding body positioning makes all the difference); doesn't matter how big they are if you cut off blood or oxygen flow to the brain (the lights go out, and lightning fast if it's a blood choke). Also doesn't matter how big the guy is when you can torque an elbow joint against the grain; don't need much pressure against the back of an elbow to snap it. A woman who understands grappling can make very short work of a rapist; she can choke him out with a guillotine choke or she can shrimp to an armbar and snap his elbow.
You want stand-up defense that will make a man fear a woman? Muay Thai kickboxing and karate. Muay Thai kicks attack the LCL and MCL ligaments. Karate kicks drive into the front of the knee and destroy the ACL. Obliterate the attacker's front leg. Point to remember: women are physically built to deliver devastating attacks with their legs; pound for pound they can deliver more power from their legs than most men. It's only a matter of proper technique. And karate hand techniques are more effective than straight boxing; you're talking about targeting vital areas to incapacitate a larger attacker.
One thing sure to change Afghan mens' attitudes: an Afghan woman on the medal stand at the Olympics receiving her medal for boxing. It will be more boxing medals than their mens' team ever won; sounds like the two sisters already have more international medals than the mens' program. For these women, it's all about pride in themselves and the chance to compete.
Kevin..your sad attempts at humor fall very short..maybe you should just stop typing now. If the attempts are serious thought and not attempted humor I feel sorry for the women in your life.
This is purely George Bush's fault! We should have never went in there and given these women hope and pride!
I sincerely hope you're joking.
Prius I don't think there are many here that disagree we should have gotten involved in Afghanistan, it's Iraq that we blame Bush for. In Iraq Bush's war has created a client state for Iran. so your sarcasm is well noted just not well played!
Afghanistan was the only war Bush should have started. If only he had concentrated our attention and resources there instead of Iraq maybe we would already be done there.
But my main comment is: You go girls!!
Since the 911 Terrorist's all came from Saudia Arabia, That is the country we should have attacked, not Iraq.
All of the Above the Million or so Kurds in Iraq may not agree with you. We bombed libya for a couple hundred Civis deaths Saddam killed a Million or so.
Look Here
Tarzan Iraq had nothing to do with 911, we attacked them to protect big oil, give defense contractors money (building up Chenneys stock holdingins i.e. Halaburton) as well as gain some false sense of revenge for Bush Jr since he felt he was avenging insults to his father. Bush and Cheney used false and obsolete evidence of WMDs to justify the war.
We attacked Afghanistan because that was the control center for Al-Quida. Although you do have a point about the Saud's as they were and still are where most of the funds come from.
Mash my Prius and I'll kick your a$$, girlie style...
Um,
Thats great! LOL.
I think they meant unusual. Boxing is not typical a feminine sport. I would rather see them encouraging these girls to go to school and college and have real careers. That is the only way Afghanistan will pull itself out of one of highest rates of poverty, gender inequality, and infant mortality rates in the world.
Melissa, You must be right about the word unusual - that only makes sense.
However, you obviously missed the underlying point - the opportunity that these girls got was not about boxing. It was about the ability to choose to box, to go to school or to have a career. The ability to choose makes the difference, not the choice that they make.
Celebrate the ability to choose - do not disparage the choices that they make. That will only hinder the next girl when her time comes.
Melissa, this may be the way they can get to where they need to be. Sports and the arts have been proven, time and time again, to aid young disadvantaged people in developing skills and the self esteem to achieve goals. These girls might even have a chance to get out and be able to obtain a proper education, because of the opportunity to do something as impressive as heading to World Championships and to the Olympics.
They have to start somewhere and sports is a good place. It's sad to see a whole country so in terror of it's women and girls that they keep them locked up. Such manly men.
So long as there are head scarves women will NOT be equal!!! I seriously doubt that the head scarves will bew allowed in the Olympics.
from the article "She brushed aside local criticism of female boxing. "I just want to box, shoulder to shoulder with the men, and show I can do it."
None of these ladies will be boxing with male boxers. Perhaps they men boys aged 12 or younger.
Contrary to your misguided perception, the head scarves are not symbols of oppression. They are symbols of respect much like the same way that the Christians nuns and Amish women cover their heads.
Nice! You go, girls! You make us proud! Show them what you're made of!
Sadaf Rahimi will probably be arrested and flogged now that some jerk US journalist posted a picture of her on the Internet without her traditional head covering on.
While I may not agree with some other countries beliefs and practices I violently object to my own countryman's refusal to at least show respect and god forbid, consider first what consequences their actions may have on others before they take them.
Sqrly,
Put on your thinking cap if you can find it. These pictures and this article were not done secretly it's obvious that the young lady posed for the picture and I have no doubt they knew it was an American reporter. They want the world to know things are changing for them.
There is hope in the world like these kids who want better things for themselves and their country, so why don't people quite living in the past and move forward, I guess the past is their comfort zone and tomorrow might be not as secure or uncertain. Ladie I wish you the best and when you get to London 2012 kick some A?? and let the world know who you are and where you come from and maybe wake up some people.
Follow your dream ladies. I admire your courage. I wish you all the best and if your male friends do not like it. put their lights out.
Go, girls! Go, women! Good Luck!
'punch their way to equality'- no, not in their society with Sharia laws, etc. They are born into a subservient role and eventually the men will tire of this westernization and put a quick stop to it.
I sincerely hope the next generation has learned a lot from the mistakes of this one. I'm all for enabling young girls in Afghanistan to make their own choices. Power starts small, like a spark from a match, but with the proper kindling, it could become an eternal flame that can be seen for miles and generations.
This will be short-lived as the Taliban forces the burqas on them, flings acid in the faces of girls that attend school, and beats women according to the Quran:
Quran 4:34 Beat your wife.
Wanna win this war and stabalize the entire country? Use the trillions of dollars we spend on our military actions to emmediatly begin paying every man/woman 50K a year to rebuild this country (wach how quickly this religious contention turns from physical violence to non-violent political debate)
I'm so happy - this is a wonderful result worthy of 10 years of war, thousands killed, and billions spent!
Loyd what's the saying...if you can't save one life, might as well kill a thousand?
Loyd, you are right. This just a very rare and isolated "feel good" story. The fact is that 99% of this population rots in violent archiac poverty.
Good to see that their rights are expanding. I just hope that too many of them don't get knocked out. I've been knocked out in boxing. It can be fun, but it's really bad for your brain.
Thanks for your comment Melissa in NorCal. You are right -- we meant "unusual." Apologies for the typo. That's been fixed. Thanks for your attention, Petra Cahill, World Blog editor.
Who is the American idiot who left these boxing gloves behind? We'll never be able to control this population now
Nice feel good story. Can you imagine what will be done to these girls when we leave?
Or if they try to fight men...
Equality sounds nice but it isn't true.
Violence begets more violence and the world keeps turning.
If this happened in Saudi Arabia, these girls would be killed. (But we can't cover the Saudi abuse of women because they are our $$$$$$ friends)
Kevin-749492
You have a real problem. Get some psychological help. You desperately need it.
Jean, you are right. Can you give me a referal? (as long as it is not a woman from Afganistan who has learned to box-I want to exit my therapy alive)
He needs no help, he speaks the truth..