Brave Afghan Girls Take to Gym, Practice Boxing in Defiance of Taliban Threats
- Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:39pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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A new, brazen generation of young women in Afghanistan are challenging the mores of Afghan society, and the Taliban itself, by pursuing dreams of representing their homeland in the Olympic games as female boxers.
Traditionally hidden behind burqas, these women are now diligently training and perfecting their boxing techniques in secluded gyms — of which there are reportedly many — across the country. But despite their lofty goals and best of intentions, all is not well, as the athletes must contend with militant Islamists who consider their pursuits as “haraam” or, forbidden. These boxers also face the added challenges of being denied treatment by male doctors if they are injured and are regularly flogged for engaging in “taboo” athletic endeavors.
According to the reporter on the scene, the self-defense skills these women are honing are vital. Sadly, they will likely be needed outside the competition ring, rather than inside it.
The following are excerpts from the report on female boxers in Afghanistan which aired on Al-Arabiya TV January 6, 2012. Partial transcript and translations provided by the dedicated staff at MEMRI:
Reporter: These girls undergo intensive training in this modestly equipped gym. The broken mirrors, dusty floors, and threats from the Taliban have not discouraged Shaban or her younger sister Sadaf from practicing female boxing, their preferred sport.
Female boxer: I have to have great success in the world of boxing, and to win a gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics, for the glory of my country. This gym was opened four years ago, and it serves 25 girls from various regions in Afghanistan.
Trainer: We demand that the Afghan government, businessmen, and private companies support our national women’s boxing teams, as well as other sports.
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AtoZ
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 7:48pmwhen they get knocked out is it wrong to pee on them too? We dont get to have no fun :(
Report Post »cosmic dogma
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 6:10pmislam, murder innocents and go to the great cosmic who re house in the ??? The only item you are submitting to is evil. Face it, ISLAM IS A FALSE RELIGION WORSHIPPING A FALSE GOD. I will never submit to evil.
Report Post »Arshloch
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:21pmThe Marines, instead of using stiffs, should gather a herd of live taliban and water them down but good. It is easy to see from the way these animals treat women, that they deserve any degrading act that can be conjured.
Report Post »Endstatism
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 2:09pmThey should be not only teaching Afghani girls how to box, but also martial arts. It would be quite satisfying to read stories on Taliban attackers getting necks snapped and being beaten to death. Next thing they need to do is to teach shooting skills.
Report Post »Ratcraft
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 9:32amWhy isn’t she and the rest of them out with guns killing those who wish to kill her for this? Oh, thats right the US military is doing that for her. Our sons are dying so she can box. How about she fights her real enemies and we come home.
Report Post »Access Denied
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 6:12amThey risk threats, flogging, not being treated for their wounds and much more just for the freedom to do what they choose. This is the definition of ‘freedom isn’t free.
Report Post »RossPoldark
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:40amStay tuned for Taliban seals up uppity Muslim girls in gym and set gym on fired until it burned down.
Report Post »xzero01
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:27amwith little training these girls could take out any sand monkey
Report Post »eadamico70
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:43pmGo for the gold ladies, you can do it! I’ll be rooting for you this summer.
Report Post »LogiStyx
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:23pmThe Taliban can kiss my Irish Ass.
Report Post »eadamico70
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:41pmAnd my American ass. Go for the gold ladies, you can do it, no fear!
Report Post »nzkiwi
Posted on January 14, 2012 at 11:44pmAnd my Kiwi arse. Bless these young women for their courage.
Report Post »Jennifer_D
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:08pmIt is wonderful that these girls have a goal and are working toward it. It would be amazing if they were able to make it to the 2012 Olympics and win a medal. However; they are risking their very lives by going against the Taliban. I hope they have protection; even from their families because they may decide that they have to kill them to protect their family honor.
Report Post »bets
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 10:46pmI agree with others that these girls should also be on the gun range. By the time we are seeing this on the web how many of these girls are still alive? Have their parents been told that they should kill them to keep their family honor? I can not believe that our government is in peace talks with the taliban.
Report Post »Dave In Arizona
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:28pmGood for them!
Report Post »hempstead1944
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:53pmDead girls walking….they will all be gone by the end of the month.
Report Post »Patriot Z
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:46pmof course islam hates these women. islamic men are weak and cowardly rapists who can only fight by blowing themselves up and killing innocents. Can you imagine the shame one of these so called ‘tough militant islamists’ would feel WHEN he stepped into the ring with a woman and promptly got his butt kicked. its a trademark that comes from their filthy prohet mohammad who could only have sex with little girls or camels, and only fight with sneak attacks.
Report Post »nzkiwi
Posted on January 14, 2012 at 11:52pm@ Patriot Z
Agreed, but muslim men do have beauty contests, though.
http://www.endtimestoday.com/2012/01/02/dubai-beauty-contest-won-by-7-year-old-female-with-big-eyelashes-and-pouty-lips/
Report Post »deano24
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:23pmIf they do get to participate in the 2012 olympics. What clothing restrictions will they have to follow. Would they have to wear a burka?
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:56pmThey should be… on a Gun Range!
Report Post »conservativeblackman
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:59pm@LukerW You got that right! I see a honor killing in her future.
Report Post »babylonvi
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:26pmMy thoughts exactly. They should be trying out for the Rifle and Pistol Competition(I don’t think they have added granades to the list of events yet.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:56pmGood for these girls. Very brave of them but I really wish someone would give them guns and weapon training too, then let the Taliban try to beat them.
And some American and the most evil CAIR want to whine about soldiers peeing on dead Taliban.
Report Post »jcannon98188
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:21pmI would be pissed if our soldiers piss on dead taliban! This is freaking America! What ever happened to having class? Holy crap!
Report Post »Chuck Stein
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 1:38am@ Jcannon98188 The recent story about Marines’ treatment of Taliban corpses is troubling. It reminded me, though, about a story regarding the British combating an Islamist revolt in the 1800′s in India (including Pakistan at the time). The British would hang the rebels and then bury them in coffins containing pig entrails and menstrual blood. Not too “classy.“ Not too ”British.” But it helped to put down the rebellion.
Report Post »jrfox
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:55pmFor years I’ve felt the women over there are part of the problem.
Report Post »They are raising MORE radicals everyday.
If a large group would sterilize themselves secretly, there would not, could not be more of the same.
Or maybe education should be allowed to happen on them!
Eliasim
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:55pmHey check this out: if people came from monkeys, why are there still monkeys? Simple answer: People didn’t come from monkeys, because monkeys came from people. Ha…haha.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:02pmAnd that’s why some day in the future the descendants of orangutans are going to have the descendants of homosapiens in a zoo.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:04pmDoesn’t that sound like something you want for your descendants? I mean I know how you’re all about the “DNA” and how great your DNA is.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:10pmThat’s because all it takes is for the spirit of “A Man” as in “Mankind” to choose the dry-ground manifested in the body and mind of an orangutan and away we go. The orangutan becomes “Mankind” and people become just some ape on the earth.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:14pmYeah, yeah you devilish people are so vain that you think your skin and bones matters, when it’s actually all about “The Man” spirit.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:34pmYeah, ya see take tourette disorder for example: it’s not much different from the vocal out-bursts that monkey’s make. Like I said, the “Light” is always around you, and you will in fact go into decline. All the green grasses of your dry-ground in your mind will be destroyed and you will become like the beasts you want to be.
Report Post »GPS-Tech
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:26pmWow! Elias just had a nervous breakdown!
Report Post »jrfox
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:46pmAnd you just came on here from your goat pen. go back and enjoy them.But remember, islam came from satan.
Report Post »nzkiwi
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 12:05amI’m starting to get a bit worried about this guy. Seriously, I’m not trying to be funny, something seems to be going wrong with him.
Does anybody know him?
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:53pmLike to see Lela Ali put an a88 whuppin on some of those proud woman beating towelheads in the ring. Without a weapon or a gang of thugs, it would make great video.
Report Post »democritusoilder267
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:49pmI value women like her. It is great she is standing up to the Taliban and their allies. As a Muslim myself many have common views that Muslim men do not respect women who are Muslim. That is untrue. As a Muslim it is duty to treat anyone regardless of gender or belief different.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:02pmYou have got to be kidding me. Then why are there honor murders, acid attacks, mutilations and stoneing of Muslim women and girls every single day?
Report Post »democritusoilder267
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:09pmLet me ask you are Muslims the only people who are not perfect. Islam always gets a bad rap for these incidents but does anyone look into why they happen? The societies where they attacks happen are do to people who go by tradition of their tribes. Islam is one of the largest in the world. By the numbers you will have people using their faith or anything else to influence their society. There have been Christians who attacked people. http://islamgreatreligion.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/3-christian-brothers-killed-sisterher-husband-and-baby-for-converting-to-islam-honor-killing-in-christianity/
Report Post »Personally I feel people need to respect one another and let God be the final judge.
democritusoilder267
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:54pmI respectfully disagree with your statement. Did you come with this rule “Even if that really is a rule that conflicts with the lie to and cheat infidels rule they dont follow it.” or did you find this from an anti-Islamic website?
Report Post »democritusoilder267
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 8:49amNo, Muslim means peaceful submission to God. Sounds like you been dealing with the wrong Muslims.
Report Post »GPS-Tech
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:45pmA preview of the 72 virgins awaiting all jihadists.
Report Post »db321
Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:04pmGood one – 72 Virgins kicking them in the junk for eternity.
Report Post »