IOC warns Afghanistan over women's sports and Olympics

The International Olympic Committee has warned that it could stop working with Afghanistan ahead of the next Olympics in 2024 if women are not allowed to play sports under Taliban rule

The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday warned that it could stop working with Afghanistan ahead of the next Olympics in 2024 if women are not allowed to play sports under Taliban rule.

The IOC said its support for Afghanistan's National Olympic Committee will depend on conditions including women being allowed to play sports with “safe and inclusive access” and to take part in sports administration. Afghanistan's teams for international events must include female athletes who live in the country and not only those based abroad.

The IOC board said it "expressed its serious concern and strongly condemned the latest restrictions imposed by the Afghan authorities on women and young girls in Afghanistan, which prevent them from practicing sport in the country.”

Afghanistan's participation and “the representation, or not, of the country” in the next Summer Olympics in Paris in 2024 “will depend on the progress made in relation to the fundamental issue of safe access to sport for women and young girls in the country,” the IOC said.

It was not immediately clear how soon the IOC might implement the measures.

The IOC said it will continue direct support for individual athletes from Afghanistan who aim to compete at the Olympics.

Afghanistan had a team of four men and one woman at the last Summer Olympics in Tokyo.