The UCI have announced that they will be hosting the 2022 Afghanistan Women’s National Championships road event in October this year at their Swiss headquarters of Aigle.
Cycling’s governing body said in a press release that “due to the consequences of events last August” in Afghanistan “for part of the population, in particular women”, it was no longer possible for the race to take place in the country.
August 2021 saw the Taliban return to power throughout Afghanistan for the first time in 20 years, with their religious extremism driving a notable and brutal reversal of any progress towards gender equality made in the previous two decades.
Many women were forced to flee their country as part of an attempt at mass evacuation of vulnerable citizens who faced targeted gender violence by the Taliban, who announced last September women would be banned from playing sport.
Given the political situation in their country, the Afghanistan Women’s National Championships are set to be held in Switzerland at the UCI headquarters in Aigle next October 23rd. The one race, based on a 28.5 kilometre circuit, will have two categories, under-23 and elite women and around 60 participants, all currently in exile from their country, are expected to take part.
UCI president David Lappartient said in a press release that the decision by the UIC to hold the race was taken in the context of their participating in a previous joint initiative to help the Afghan cycling community to try and evacuate riders from the country.
As Lappartient added, “The UCI has decided, exceptionally, to ensure, in collaboration with its partners, the continuity of the sporting activities of the Cycling Federation of Afghanistan by organising its Women's National Road Cycling Championships this year.”
