Afghan breakdancer Manizha Talash, a 21-year-old refugee athlete, was disqualified from the Paris 2024 Olympics breaking competition for displaying a blue cape with the slogan ‘Free Afghan Women’ during her performance. The World DanceSport Federation cited Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which prohibits political expressions during competition.Talash, who fled Afghanistan in 2021 after the Taliban takeover, had already been eliminated in the preliminary round against B-Girl India (India Sardjoe) from the Netherlands. Despite her elimination, she was allowed to perform a fresh routine, during which she unveiled the controversial cape.The athlete, who has been living in Madrid since seeking asylum in Spain in 2022, explained her actions, saying, ‘I wanted to show people what is possible’. She further stated, ‘I left to do something for the girls of Afghanistan, for my life and my future’.This incident has reignited discussions about the challenges faced by athletes from countries with restrictive regimes. It also follows a trend of Afghan athletes using the Olympics as a platform for protest, as seen in the case of Kimia Yousofi, who wore ‘Education’ and ‘Our rights’ on her chest during the 100m women’s event in a previous Olympics.Despite the controversy, the breaking competition continued, with Japan’s Ami Yuasa winning the first Olympic gold medal in the sport. However, breaking may have a short-lived Olympic career, as it is set to be removed from the program for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Key points
- Afghan breakdancer Manizha Talash was disqualified from the Paris 2024 Olympics for displaying a ‘Free Afghan Women’ message.
- The disqualification was based on Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which prohibits political expressions during competition.
- Talash, a refugee athlete, fled Afghanistan in 2021 after the Taliban takeover.
- The incident has sparked discussions about athletes from countries with restrictive regimes and the use of sports as a platform for protest.
Contradictionsđź‘ľSome sources state that Talash fled Afghanistan in 2021, while others mention she sought asylum in Spain in 2022.
This discrepancy might be due to the time difference between leaving Afghanistan and officially seeking asylum.
