Khalida Popal defied the Taliban and risked her life to play soccer Khalida Popal was at the top of
Khalida Popal defied the Taliban and risked her life to play soccer Khalida Popal was at the top of her game in Afghanistan. She became the captain of Afghanistan’s women’s national team and was competing on the international field.Popal was the public face of her team, which did not go over well with ultra-conservative people of her country. She faced criticism, including from people who labeled women soccer players as prostitutes. But that only made Popal more determined to play the sport. So she and some friends practiced on a NATO base, and eventually played matches against neighboring country’s in Kabul’s Ghazi Stadium.But the hate over Popal’s love for soccer, which she calls football, in keeping with international standards, turned even more violent and included death threats against Popal’s family. She fled the country, eventually making her way to Denmark where she received asylum. Popal spoke with Marco Werman of The World about her experience and her journey.Read/listen to her story at pri.org. -- source link
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