Khalida Popal, who is the co-founder of Afghan women’s football league, has urged the players to set their kits ablaze as the social, economic, and cultural conditions in Taliban become even more deteriorating for women. The former Afghanistan women’s football captain, Popal has asked the players to prioritize their safety over anything by deleting their social media accounts and getting rid of their playing kits.
Popal, who is in Copenhagen right now, lamented the state of her country and couldn’t digest the fact that her country is faltering in the face of ceaseless violence. Here is an excerpt from a video interview she gave to Reuters: “What we are seeing is a country collapsing. All the pride, happiness to be there to empower women and men of the country is like it was just wasted.”