When a plane touched down in Britain last month carrying an Afghan girls’ football team that had escaped from the Taliban, the world hailed a humanitarian success.
It was reported that the teenagers – the youth development squad – and their families would now enjoy a new life, partly thanks to US reality TV star Kim Kardashian who had paid for the flight.
The Mail on Sunday learned that the mercy effort has become tense due to a bitter battle of words. Senior figures in Afghan football claimed that some members were left behind so that they could make room for senior players.
Many critics have been directed at Khalida Popal (former captain of the national team), who organized places for the flight.
Arezo Rahimi, head of women’s football at the Afghan Football Association, said: ‘The majority of the people on Ms Popal’s list are not players and their families at all. Most players from the development team are still trapped in Afghanistan – they are living in fear and have no hope of getting out.’
Ms Popal said she had not committed any wrongdoing, and that her accusers were jealous as they couldn’t evacuate their families.
On arrival in Britain, sources claimed there were ‘around 25’ players from the Afghan women’s development squad (pictured) on board, adding that the definition of a ‘youth’ squad in Afghanistan includes people as old as 23
A lot of criticism was directed towards Khalida Popal, the former captain for the national team. (pictured left), she arranged seats on the flight.
BBC reported that 35 members of the squad, aged between 13 and 19, had fled Kabul. They arrived in Britain on November 18, along with their families, according to BBC.
On arrival in Britain, Ms Popal said that ‘around 25’ players were on board, adding that the definition of a ‘youth’ squad in Afghanistan includes people as old as 23.
She prepared a list of two basketball players as well as a 32-year old footballer.
Three former football players and Ms Rahimi have looked at the flight schedule but were unable to identify any of the 15 footballers.
Ms Rahimi has also created a separate list showing that there are 28 qualified players aged 11-18 who remain in Afghanistan.
Shamila Kohestani, a former captain of the Afghan women’s national football team, said: ‘These athletes have risked their lives to play a game they love, and now their lives are at risk again.
‘But nobody is helping them, while other people were evacuated who are not football players.
‘I’m not against these people and I want everybody who wants to leave Afghanistan to be able to do so, but we have actual players left behind who are at risk.’
Analysis of the flight list shows only 15 footballers among the 132 people on board, including two basketball players and even a 32-year-old footballer. Pictured: On September 30, 2021, the Afghan women’s soccer team trained in Lisbon.
Football For Peace is a humanitarian organization which was set up to assist the players.
‘This news throws those plans into disarray,’ said spokesman Richard Hillgrove.
‘We became concerned when our lawyers discovered a tweet from Shamila Kohestani stating that the majority of the so-called team were not in fact footballers.’
Last night a Home Office spokesman said: ‘We worked with a number of organisations who identified that group.
‘Should evidence arise that the information provided was incorrect, the Home Office will investigate.’
Ms Popal said: ‘I would like to reiterate the fact that I have absolutely no family connection with any of the football players that arrived in the UK and these allegations are baseless.’