The Taliban-controlled General Directorate of Physical Education and Sports says martial arts competitions in the “Tawan” style have been held in Baghlan province, with 100 athletes taking part.
According to the directorate, the one-day competition was organized by the Tawan Martial Arts Federation’s representative office, in cooperation with the Baghlan Department of Physical Education and Sports.
A total of 100 athletes from Kabul, Balkh, Kunduz and Baghlan provinces participated in the competition.
At the conclusion of the event, athletes from Baghlan took first place, followed by Kabul in second and Balkh in third.
Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, extensive restrictions have been imposed on women’s participation in sports. However, competitions for male athletes in martial arts, football, futsal, cricket and other sports continue to be held.
Sports activists say that a lack of financial resources, limited access to professional training facilities and difficulties in enabling athletes to participate in international competitions remain among the major challenges facing sports in Afghanistan.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
