During the apartheid regime in South Africa the world responded to human rights abuses with sanctions and a sports boycott. Today, the world is silent over Afghanistan. The Afghan men’s coach, Jonathan Trott (born in South Africa but played cricket for England), was recently asked which was the best team in the Asia Cup. He proudly patted the badge on his shirt – Afghanistan. Pride in representing a country that has inflicted the most extreme human rights abuses on its female citizens is not the win @Trotty might think it is. The England men’s cricket team is drawn to play Afghanistan on 26th February 2025 in the ICC Champions Trophy. Women’s Rights Network calls for England to forfeit the match. In fact, we call on our politicians and sports governing bodies to go further. We call for: · @Keir_Starmer to order a boycott of all Afghanistan fixtures in any sport. · The @ECB_cricket to forfeit all matches against the Afghanistan men’s cricket team in any tournament. · Players and coaches to examine their consciences – the women in your families are free to dress how they please, be educated, take jobs, travel, have bank accounts, speak and sing. How can you in all conscience play a country that denies women their basic human rights? Pride in the team shirt includes pride in your country’s record on standing up for human rights and against dictators who bask in the kudos of sporting success. What is happening to the women of Afghanistan is appalling. Any sportsman of conscience should do what is right: Boycott Afghanistan.