The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief, Richard Gould, has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take action against the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) due to the Taliban regime’s treatment of women, which has effectively banned female participation in sports.
Earlier this week, over 160 politicians, including Nigel Farage, Jeremy Corbyn, and Lord Kinnock, signed a letter encouraging England to boycott their ICC Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan in protest of the Taliban’s violations of women’s rights. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called for the ICC to “deliver their own rules,” while Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy opposed a boycott but suggested British dignitaries skip the event.
Gould outlined the ECB’s position of not scheduling bilateral matches against Afghanistan and expressed disappointment over the lack of progress since raising concerns two years ago. He proposed measures such as imposing conditions on ACB’s membership, withholding part of ICC funding until women’s cricket is reinstated, and supporting exiled Afghan women players to compete as a refugee team under the IOC model for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
An ICC spokesperson stated: “The ICC remains closely engaged with the situation in Afghanistan and continues to collaborate with our members. We are committed to leveraging our influence constructively to support the ACB in fostering cricket development and ensuring playing opportunities for both men and women in Afghanistan. The ICC has established an Afghanistan Cricket Task Force, chaired by deputy chairman Mr. Imran Khwaja, who will lead the ongoing dialogue on this matter.”
Critics, including former Afghan women’s football captain Khalida Popal, have criticized the ICC for failing to enforce its own policies, leaving Afghan women athletes unsupported. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Afghanistan has banned women’s participation in sports, forcing the national women’s cricket team to flee the country. The team, now residing in Australia, has had no communication with cricket authorities and saw their funding cut off.
Gould, in his letter to ICC, wrote: “The ECB strongly condemns the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime and would strongly encourage the ICC to intervene and show global leadership at the earliest opportunity. The gender apartheid facing the 14 million women in Afghanistan is reaching a level unseen anywhere else in the world.
“Whilst the issue has gone far beyond cricket, with a restriction on human rights, education, health, and so on, the global cricket community has a role to play collectively, to leverage the power of sport and make a meaningful impact on this global debate.
“The ICC Constitution mandates that all Full Members are committed to the growth and development of women’s cricket. In line with this commitment, the ECB has maintained its position of not scheduling any bilateral cricket matches against Afghanistan. We had hoped, when voicing this concern two years it would drive the debate to further action, but unfortunately, this has not been seen.
“While many of our domestic stakeholders continue to call for a boycott of our fixture in the Champions Trophy, a coordinated, ICC-led approach would be significantly more impactful than unilateral actions by individual members.
“We want to work with you and other members to find a solution that provides hope that the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan can be restored.
“We would therefore urge the ICC to urgently consider:
Set Conditions for Membership:
Impose an immediate condition on the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s (ACB) membership to establish women’s cricket by a specific deadline, reaffirming the ICC’s commitment to its Constitution.
Withhold Funding:
Temporarily withhold a significant portion of ICC funding from the ACB until women’s cricket is reinstated. The reallocation of these funds should be discussed at the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee meeting in March 2025, potentially supported by ringfenced funds from the ICC Development Fund.
Support Exiled Afghan Women Players:
Provide financial and advocacy support to exiled Afghan women cricketers, most of whom are based in Melbourne, enabling them to compete as an Afghanistan Refugee team. This approach aligns with the model adopted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Include Regular Agenda Items:
Ensure that the topic of Afghanistan’s compliance with ICC rules remains a standing agenda item at every ICC Board meeting, allowing open discussions and voting options when necessary.
Reform the Afghanistan Working Group:
Restructure the Afghanistan Working Group to include female members and experts in gender equality. This group should monitor the ACB’s progress and provide regular, objective assessments to inform decision-making and support effective leadership.
“What is taking place in Afghanistan is the worst violation of women’s rights anywhere on earth. If we do not take the actions that are within our power to take – whilst recognising that much is not in our power – we are all complicit and have failed the privilege that comes with holding a global leadership position in our sport.”
Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
