When Fariba Hashimi speaks in a low voice about her home country of Afghanistan, her face becomes serious. "I dream of being with my family. I dream of cycling in my country. It's difficult far away from home," the young cyclist tells the German Press Agency, adding that she also wants to send a message to the oppressed women in Afghanistan with her performances at the World Championships in Glasgow.
Hashimi, just 20 years old, hastily fled the Taliban in August 2021 after the uprising, is in exile in Italy to continue living her dream. Her dream of a normal life without repression, of a career as a professional cyclist. "It should be a proud moment for all disadvantaged women in my country, where they are not allowed to go to university or school. I want to give hope that we will never give up," says Hashimi.
Never give up is also their motto. A lot of things seem improvised in the Afghan team. They only turned up for the start of the mixed relay at the last minute, there were mechanical problems in the race and then their colleague Zahra Rezayee fell off the ramp and banged her knee. The fact that she finished in last place with an hourly average of a better amateur cyclist was irrelevant. "When they crossed the finish line, I had a lump in my throat. They made it. This is also a political message, not just a sporting one," says their coach James Hey.
Help in London
Hey runs a small bike company in London and actually trains young people. But he wanted to help when he started working with seven female refugees in October. "I had no idea where the journey was going," says Hey: "I didn't know how they were doing emotionally, mentally or physically. Cycling in the rain in London is the last thing you can do. You're very humble, but also emotional. When you hear what's happening at home and how dangerous it is for their families, it can be touching at times."
Fariba Hashimi and her older sister Yulduz, who is also working in Glasgow, come from a conservative area in northern Afghanistan, close to the border with Turkmenistan. In their home country, they once practised their sport secretly without their parents' knowledge, borrowing a racing bike from a neighbour. To avoid being recognised, they wore headscarves and sunglasses. "I felt like I could fly," Fariba Hashimi told the British broadcaster BBC - despite the hostility of some of her compatriots. In the end, her parents also accepted her passion for sport.
Her career took off, followed by a call-up to the national team, before everything changed with the return of the Taliban to power. The militant Islamists severely restricted women's rights and banned them from participating in any kind of sport. The sisters had to leave the country, but they made contact with Italy through former world road cycling champion Alessandra Cappellotto.
Longing for home
Zahra Rezayee also lives in Italy. "I miss my home country. But I am happy that I had the opportunity to leave Afghanistan," she says. "I want to help the world support Afghan women. I want to give them a voice."
That's what they pedal for, no matter how difficult the circumstances. "We have a coach, a psychologist and a mechanic. It's all very modest, but it's a passionate nation," says Hey, who works on his own account. The medical assistant of one of his drivers is a dentist. He communicates via WhatsApp or other social media. "It's a different world," says Hey. The UCI, which also organised the national women's championship in Switzerland last year with Fariba Hashimi as the winner, helps with funding. "We are open to all enquiries. But we're not looking for money, we're looking for some support."
The Olympic motto "Taking part is everything" has rarely been as true as for the Afghan team. "It has to be seen as something meaningful. As something we can build on, and not as the end," says Hey. And Hashimi has another message, which is also aimed at the Taliban: "We should respect humanity. Everyone should be able to live in peace." A message that she also wants to proclaim on an even bigger stage next year at the Olympic Games in Paris.
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