Since the taking over from the notorious Taliban group, Afghanistan and its capital Kaboul has truly been in a level of uncertainty. Tension has risen across the country and due to this, the Afghan Paralympic team has had its dreams to dawn the games completely dashed.
Only two Afghan Paralympians were set to make the trip to Tokyo. One of them, taekwondo athlete Zakia Khudadadi, would have been the first woman to represent the country in the Paralympic Games. Track athlete Hossain Rasouli will also miss out on competing.
"Unfortunately due to the current upheaval going on in Afghanistan the team could not leave Kabul in time," said The Afghanistan Paralympic Committee's London-based Chef de Mission Arian Sadiqi. Sadiqi said he had been due to fly to Japan on Monday while the team; Khudadadi and track athlete Hossain Rasouli, had been scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on Aug. 17.
Ahead of the Paralympics, Zakia Khudadadi had said: "I was thrilled after I received the news that I have got a wild card to compete at the Games. This is the first time that a female athlete will be representing Afghanistan at the Games and I'm so happy. I was surprised but worried as well as I had just two months to prepare for the Games with almost no facilities. I just want to be there with the other athletes from around the world and give my best.
It is an opportunity to show my ability and I will be so proud to stand with all of those athletes." According to Sadiqi, the players attempted to book flights but were unable to do so when costs skyrocketed as the Taliban seized control of a number of cities.
Afghan athletes first competed at the 1996 Paralympic Games but have never won a medal. Rohullah Nikpai became Afghanistan's first Olympic medallist in any sport when he won bronze in taekwondo at the 2008 Beijing Games, repeating the feat at London 2012.