UK politicians urge England to boycott Afghanistan match in ICC Champions Trophy over treatment of women
A significant number of British lawmakers have called for a boycott of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy match between England and Afghanistan. This plea stems from deep concern over the Taliban regime's severe suppression of women's rights in Afghanistan.
Since the Taliban's resurgence in 2021, the lives of Afghan women and girls have drastically deteriorated. They face severe restrictions on their education, employment, and freedom of movement. These restrictions extend to basic human rights, such as the freedom to appear in public without full face and body coverings.
Furthermore, the Taliban has effectively banned women from participating in sports and attending gyms, a blatant violation of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) rules and regulations. The plight of the Afghan women's cricket team exemplifies this harsh reality. The team was disbanded, and several of its members were forced to flee the country to escape the oppressive regime.
England is scheduled to face Afghanistan in a crucial group-stage match on February 26th in Lahore, Pakistan. In response to the Taliban's egregious human rights abuses, over 160 politicians have signed a letter urging the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to take a strong stance. This letter calls upon England's players and officials to publicly condemn the Taliban's treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan.
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Image: Shows women oppression in Afghanistan under Taliban regime
The boycott call serves as a powerful statement against the Taliban's oppressive regime and a demonstration of solidarity with the Afghan women and girls who are denied their fundamental rights and freedoms.
"We also urge the ECB to consider a boycott of the upcoming match against Afghanistan in the ICC Champions Trophy Group stage on February 26th to send a clear signal that such grotesque abuses will not be tolerated," the letter added.
ECB chief executive Richard Gould responded by calling for a uniform approach from all member nations towards Afghanistan's participation in international cricket.
"The ECB strongly condemns the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime," Gould said.
"The ICC Constitution mandates that all member nations are committed to the growth and development of women's cricket. In line with this commitment, the ECB has maintained its position of not scheduling any bilateral cricket matches against Afghanistan.
"While there has not been a consensus on further international action within the ICC, the ECB will continue to actively advocate for such measures. A coordinated, ICC-wide approach would be significantly more impactful than unilateral actions by individual members."
England has previously encountered Afghanistan in major international cricket tournaments, having faced them at both the 50-over Cricket World Cup in 2023 and the Twenty20 World Cup in 2022.
This backdrop of prior encounters highlights the ongoing interaction between the two cricketing nations.
Furthermore, Australia's decision last year to cancel a T20 series against Afghanistan serves as a precedent. This decision was explicitly linked to the Taliban regime's severe and worsening human rights record, particularly concerning the suppression of women's rights.
Jos Buttler (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood.
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