New Zealand Cricket believes playing Afghanistan could highlight women’s rights issues, arguing a boycott might aid the Taliban’s isolation efforts.
As New Zealand Cricket officials mull over a proposed series with Afghanistan amid the country’s “terrorist” Taliban rule, a high-profile international human rights group has called on the Black Caps and all other countries to sever ties with the troubled nation.
The series comes as protest calls increase for nations to boycott playing Afghanistan; a nation whose women’s programme has been culled by the Taliban’s ban on women playing sport.
It is one of many appalling policies of the Taliban – who the New Zealand Government list as a terrorist organisation – that place massive restrictions on the everyday life of women and girls in Afghanistan.
Last month, ex-Government minister and long-time anti-apartheid campaigner Graham Kelly – who is a cricket lover and a member of Wellington Cricket – told the New Zealand Herald he was appalled New Zealand Cricket (NZC) was prepared to play Afghanistan given the Taliban’s atrocious human rights record.
NZC boss Scott Weenink himself describes the Taliban as a “terrorist organisation” and says its human rights record is “horrendous”.
But the sporting body presently didn’t believe a boycott was the right move, saying it could be one the Taliban would welcome as it tried to cut the Afghan population off from the Western world.
The calls for boycotting Afghanistan have grown louder, with New York-based non-governmental organisation Human Rights Watch calling on the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its member nations to pull stumps on playing the nation in men’s cricket.
New Zealand special forces evacuating people from Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2021 as the Taliban once again took control of the country. Photo / NZDF
The campaign includes a letter sent to ICC – and CCing in the International Olympic Committee which has accepted Twenty20 cricket into the 2028 Games – calling for an immediate suspension.
“We are writing at this time to urge the International Cricket Council to suspend Taliban-run Afghanistan from ICC membership, and from participating in international cricket, until women and girls can once again participate in education and sport in the country,” the Human Rights Watch letter to ICC chairman Jay Shah read.
“Since retaking power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed a long and growing list of rules and policies that bars women and girls from exercising their fundamental rights, including to freedom of expression and movement, many forms of employment, and education beyond sixth grade.
“These affect virtually all their rights, including to life, livelihood, shelter, health care, food and water.”
Formed in 1978, Human Rights Watch has investigated massacres, acts of genocide and the arrests of activists and political opposition figures around the globe.
The Taliban has implemented a raft of rules on Afghanistan's female population, including ordering women to cover up. Photo / New York Times
Its work has to date covered events or allegations in 90 countries.
The current state of Afghanistan and the life imposed by the Taliban is among six of the world’s “biggest crises” it is currently focusing on.
The letter from the group’s director of global initiatives, Minky Worden, challenged Shah to back up comments he made on his election to support women’s cricket.
That included his pledge to increase both resources and attention for women’s cricket.
Worden also called on global cricket officials “to implement a human rights policy” based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Ground staff prepare to cover the field before the start of the one-off test between the Black Caps and Afghanistan, which was evenutally cancelled without a ball being ball being bowled. Photo / Photosport
“The Taliban has banned all sport for women and girls, closed sports training centres, and threatened athletes with violence, athletes have reported,” Wordern wrote.
“As a result, some Afghan women and girl athletes went into hiding and sought to destroy evidence of their ties to sport, including medals and sport kits. Many female athletes remain in Afghanistan, unable to safely train and play their sport.”
The Taliban cut funding of the Afghan women’s national team in 2021, while funding remains for the men’s team; a side the Black Caps beat while preparing for the recent ICC Champions Trophy tournament.
The fact the women’s team – a side trying to rebuild in Australia after players sought refugee status – appeared to “violate both the Olympic charter the ICC’s own anti-discrimination rules,” Worden wrote.
Afghanistan currently has full ICC test status; a status which the ICC’s own rules state is dependent on a nation also having an international women’s programme.
“The athletes of the Afghan Women’s National Cricket Team have taken extraordinary risks to escape Taliban repression,” the letter to the ICC stated.
The Blacks Caps are scheduled to play Afghanistan next year in a series. Photo / Photosport
Prior to Worden’s letter being sent, Kelly said he believed sporting bodies, including NZC, should introduce sporting boycotts of Afghanistan, as occurred with apartheid South Africa.
He added that it was, at the very least, a “moral failure” for NZC not to follow Australia’s lead in refusing to play Afghanistan outside ICC tournaments, such as World Cups.
Weenink made clear his abhorrence of the Taliban rule in an interview with the Herald, but said NZC more is achieved for women’s rights in Afghanistan by playing there.
Its decision was made after a vast amount of consultation.
“It is discussed at every board meeting because it is so topical, where we assess what is the current situation in Afghanistan, what is the current situation with the ICC in response to playing cricket against Afghanistan,” Weenink said.
The White Ferns are potentially in line to play a series in New Zealand with Afghanistan's exiled women's team. Photo / Photosport
“And at this stage, and of course this may change depending on what happens with the ICC, globally or in Afghanistan itself ... we think we can be more effective in helping bring to light the plight of Afghani women by continuing to play Afghanistan men.
“We know that that stance is actually supported by Afghani women cricketers.
“And we also know that the Taliban are actually anti the men’s cricket team playing. They would like nothing more than to see teams boycotting matches against the Afghanistan men’s team.”
NZC’s consultations included the Afghan women’s cricket team – which is based in Australia – the ICC, the New Zealand Players’ Association and the New Zealand Government.
Weenink said “absolutely” it was a challenging stance for cricket officials, given the human rights abuses in Afghanistan.
“We don’t take this at all lightly,” the NZC boss said.
“By just boycotting, there would be very little if anything achieved other than New Zealand Cricket boycotting playing Afghanistan.
New Zealand Cricket chief executive Scott Weenink says boycotting Afghanistan would probably be welcomed by the Taliban. Photo / Photosport
“In fact, it would be the opposite and would be playing into the Taliban’s hands, whose desire is to completely suppress everything that is going on, and everything that is positive and associated with the Western world, including cricket.”
Weenink said he and NZC were acutely aware of what was happening in Afghanistan. He didn’t hold back about the reality of Taliban rule.
“They are a terrorist organisation who have taken over Afghanistan.
“Their human rights record is horrendous. And I don’t think anyone would debate that.”
The Black Caps are scheduled to play Afghanistan in a series sometime next year.
But NZC was open to contact with an Afghanistan women’s team.
“We would be very pleased to host them at the appropriate time.”
Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 33 years of newsroom experience.
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