On August 9th, 2024, a refugee athlete was disqualified from the Paris Olympics breakdancing after revealing a cape emblazoned with the words “Free Afghan Women.” Competing under the Refugee Olympic Team Banner, the athlete, Manizha Talash, also known competitively as “B-girl Talash”, seized this global spotlight to advocate for the rights of Afghan women, who continue to face severe repression under the current Taliban regime. Her disqualification has sparked widespread discussion about the power of athletes to use their platforms for political activism.
Talash was born in 2002 and first discovered breakdancing on Facebook at age 17. Realizing that this was something she wanted to do in life, Talash joined a breakdancing club in Kabul as the only female. Despite facing harsh opposition and even death threats, the aspiring dancer remained adamant in her passion, expressing that she “love[s] breakdancing too much” to quit. Her passion led her to seek refuge in Spain, where she continued training. In 2024, Talash was discovered and chosen by the Refugee Olympic Team to compete in the debut of breakdancing in the Summer Paris Olympics.
During the third round of her pre-qualification battle with B-girl India at Urban Park in Paris, Talash revealed the cape, sparking an eruption of applause in the audience, who understood the gravity of her message. However, her statement also led to her immediate disqualification from the competition for violating rule 50 of the Olympic Charter that prohibits political messaging or demonstrations in the Olympic venues. The disqualification had no bearing on the competition’s outcome, as Talash had already lost her battle against India Sardjoe and would not have advanced if she hadn’t been disqualified.
Talash’s disqualification has reignited global debate about the role of political expression in sports, particularly for marginalized groups of people. Some view rule 50 as a necessary measure to maintain the neutrality and unity of the Olympic games, while others contend that this silencing of voices is a denial of athletes’ personal autonomy and a missed opportunity for the Olympics to support global human rights causes.
In Talash’s case, her message resonated deeply. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Afghan women have been stripped of their basic rights, including access to education, employment, and freedom of movement. Activists around the world have condemned the regime’s policy. In fact, many view the disqualification of Talash as emblematic of the silencing of Afghan women’s voices, calling on the Olympics to support these voices rather than suppress them.
“I didn’t leave Afghanistan because I’m afraid of the Taliban or because I can’t live in Afghanistan. I left because I want to do what I can for the girls in Afghanistan, for my life, my future, for everyone,” Talash declared in an interview, emphasizing her dual role as both an athlete and an advocate.
The justness of Talash’s disqualification remains contentious, but one thing is clear: “free Afghan women” is no longer a mere statement, but a call for action that has resonated far beyond the confines of the Olympics.