Meon Valley MP Flick Drummond urges FIFA to accept Afghan women’s football team into World Cup

Flick was joined by 100 MPs from the UK, Australia, Italy and Portugal in signing a letter to FIFA president Gianni Infantino written by Nobel Peace prize winner Malala Yousafzai, Afghan football player Khalida Popal and Julie Elliott MP.

Since the Taliban took back control in Afghanistan, the women’s team has been in exile in Australia. Its development side is in the UK because the regime has banned women’s sport.

The letter asks FIFA to stand by its commitment to human rights and allow the Afghan team to compete in this year’s Women’s World Cup, to be held in Australia and New Zealand.

Flick met up with the development team in Westminster to show her support.

‘The conditions for women in Afghanistan continue to deteriorate and it is time that FIFA took a stand,’ said Flick.

‘It needs to be announced that the Afghan women’s team can continue to compete in international competitions to show solidarity that denying women their rights is wrong.

‘The governing body needs to do more to push back against the restrictions on Afghan women’s participation in sport.

‘Since the ban on women playing sport in Afghanistan, the national team has not been formally recognised and able to compete in international competitions.

‘FIFA can change this and I urge it to do so’