Nearly five years ago, the Taliban seized control of Kabul and imposed Sharia law in Afghanistan. The women's cycling team, which was due to take part in international competitions, found itself more threatened than ever before. An unprecedented plan was put in place to smuggle the professional cyclists out of the country in complete secrecy. Reporters Matteo Born and Alain Rimbert look back at this incredible operation.
In August 2021, the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan's capital Kabul after 20 years of war. Any hopes of emancipation for the Afghan people were abruptly dashed, giving way to a systemic crackdown. Women and athletes became particular targets, accused of embodying "deviant" practices.
Among them was the Afghan women's cycling team. Founded in 2010 and set to compete internationally, it found itself under threat. In a society governed by a strict interpretation of Islamic law, women's cycling was once again banned, considered a source of dishonour – with transgressions punishable by death.
Faced with the gravity and urgency of the situation, an Israeli-Canadian philanthropist and cycling enthusiast secretly put together an evacuation plan to help these professional cyclists flee the country. The Union Cycliste Internationale, world cycling's governing body, worked together with NGOs and activists across the globe for this dramatic and complex operation which brought the cyclists from Afghanistan to Europe via Tajikistan and Albania.
Journalists Matteo Born and Alain Rimbert followed this extraordinary journey. They met with the Afghan athletes who were exfiltrated as well as those who helped make the unprecedented operation possible.
A film co-produced by RTS and LCP with FRANCE 24.
English (US) · 