Afghanistan is scheduled to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. This will be the country's first participation at the Olympics since the Fall of Kabul, which led to the return of Taliban rule and the self-imposed exile of many of the country's leading athletes, especially women.
In June 2024, Afghanistan announced a six-person, gender-balanced team of athletes competing in Athletics, Cycling, Judo and Swimming, including three veterans of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The runners and swimmers can compete via universality places guaranteed to all Olympic countries and the judoka was confirmed in July by the International Judo Federation. The two women cyclists (Fariba Hashemi and Yulduz Hashemi) need to have their participation confirmed by the Union Cycliste Internationale.
It was announced that the International Olympic Committee is not allowing Taliban officials to participate at the Olympics and only recognizes the Afghan NOC's right to represent Afghan athletes.[1]
Five athletes of Afghan origin are also competing on the Refugee Olympic Team, competing in Breaking, Cycling, Judo and Taekwondo. The team includes 2020 Olympic veterans Nigara Shaheen and Farzad Mansouri.
Competitors
The following is the list of number of confirmed Afghan competitors in the Games.
Afghanistan qualified one judoka for the following weight class at the Games. Faizada Mohammad Samim (men's 81 kg) qualified for the games through the allocations of universality places.[3]
^Afghanistan still competes under the old tricolor flag used by the former Islamic Republic and not the white banner preferred by the Taliban government.
Afghanistan did not participate in 1976 due to a boycott, in 1984 due to a boycott and was barred from the 2000 Summer Olympics to its discrimination against women under the rule of the Taliban.