Afghan B-girl Manizha Talash, a member of the refugee Olympic team at the Paris Games, was disqualified after the words “Free Afghan Women” were shown on her cape during her breakdance routine in the competition’s pre-qualification round on Friday.
Talash, who was born in Afghanistan before fleeing the country in 2021 and now lives in Spain, wore a light blue cape with the following sentence written on it in large white letters during her pre-qualifying loss to Netherlands’ India Sardjoe.
Political slogans and statements are banned on the field and podiums at the Olympic Games and the breakdancing governing body later announced that the 21-year-old had been disqualified.
Talash was “disqualified because she wore a political slogan on her clothing,” the World DanceSport Federation said in a statement.
The Paris Games will be the third Olympic Games in which a refugee team will participate. 37 athletes will compete in 12 different sports.
Afghanistan is represented by a contingent of three women and three men. This is a largely symbolic action by the International Olympic Committee as a message to the country where, under Taliban rule, women’s and girls’ access to sport and gyms is restricted.
Both the head of the IOC-recognized Afghan National Olympic Committee and its Secretary General are currently in exile.
Reuters contributed to this report.
