KABUL: The President of the International Kurash Association, Haider Farman, during his visit to Kabul, has stated that Afghan sports have made considerable progress compared to the past.
He made the remarks in a meeting with the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi, according to a statement from the ministry on Sunday.
He noted that recently, Afghan sports had significant achievements, which reflect the current government’s support for athletes and sports activities.
He called for more attention of the Islamic Emirate towards sports, emphasizing that this could strengthen Afghanistan’s relations with the international community.
Meanwhile, Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi said that the situation in Afghanistan is not as it is often portrayed.
“Recently, as a result of countrywide security and favorable environment Afghanistan’s sports had significant achievements and successes of the futsal and cricket teams are the live examples,” the statement quoted him as saying.
Minister Muttaqi urged the leadership of the International Olympic Committee and other sports officials to visit Afghanistan to observe the situation before making any judgments.
This meeting comes as Afghanistan’s national futsal team has qualified for the World Cup for the first time, and the national cricket team recently made history by defeating South Africa in a One Day International (ODI) match.