Six athletes and a coach depart for international competition after a year of limited participation.
Afghanistan’s national powerlifting team has departed for the world championships in Belarus, marking a return to international competition after a period of restricted participation, the powerlifting federation said.
The federation said the team left Tuesday morning to take part in the competitions, scheduled to run from May 6 to May 10. The delegation includes six athletes and one coach competing across multiple categories, including youth, masters and open divisions.
The federation said the athletes had been largely unable to compete internationally over the past year because of unspecified limitations, but described the current opportunity as a positive development.
The return to competition comes as Afghanistan’s sports sector continues to face significant constraints under the Taliban administration, particularly for female athletes. Since regaining power in 2021, Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women’s participation in public life, including a total ban on organized sports for women and girls.
Those policies have drawn criticism from international sports bodies and rights groups, and have led to Afghanistan’s exclusion from some global sporting events and programs. Male athletes, however, have continued to compete internationally in selected disciplines, often under logistical and administrative challenges.