England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief Richard Gould has issued a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC), demanding action against the Afghanistan Cricket Board due to the Taliban’s oppressive treatment of women. This plea follows significant public pressure, including a statement from over 160 UK politicians advocating for England to boycott the upcoming Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan as a protest against the regime’s infringement on women’s rights.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has called on the ICC to enforce its own regulations, while Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has suggested that while the match should proceed to avoid penalizing the England team, British dignitaries should consider boycotting the event. Gould highlighted the severe violations of women’s rights occurring in Afghanistan, reiterating the ECB’s stance of avoiding bilateral matches with Afghanistan since previous discussions on the matter have not led to substantive changes.
Gould’s letter outlines several key actions the ECB urges the ICC to consider:
1. Conditional membership status for the Afghanistan Cricket Board, requiring them to reinstate women’s cricket by a specified deadline.
2. Withholding a significant portion of funding from the Afghanistan Cricket Board until women’s cricket is reinstated.
3. Discussion of funding reallocation at the next ICC Women’s Cricket Committee meeting in March 2025, potentially supported by funds from the ICC Development Fund.
4. Providing support for exiled Afghan women’s players, advocating for their inclusion as a refugee team.
5. Reforming the Afghanistan Working Group to ensure it includes women and effectively monitors these issues.
Gould emphasized that a unified approach led by the ICC could have a greater impact than individual nations taking separate actions. He expressed the desire to collaborate with other members to find solutions that could restore the rights of Afghan women and girls.
Since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, female participation in sports has been severely restricted, directly violating ICC rules. The Afghan women’s cricket team has fled, with many now residing in Australia after facing persecution.
Gould stressed the importance of supporting the exiled women’s team through funding and advocacy, highlighting a model used by the International Olympic Committee for the 2024 Paris Games. Furthermore, he demanded the ICC to reassess the composition of the Afghanistan Working Group, advocating for the inclusion of diverse perspectives to guide future decisions.
He concluded with a strong message about accountability in global leadership, stating that failing to act equates to complicity in the ongoing crisis.
