Afghanistan seems to have heeded the IOC’s threats. Its National Olympic Committee has unveiled its delegation for the 2023 Asian Games, scheduled from September 23 to October 8 in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. It includes 17 female athletes, competing in three sports: athletics, cycling and volleyball. “Afghanistan will shine brightly, boasting the largest number of female athletes to grace the Asian Games stage,” explains the Afghan NOC in a press release. The body also says it has awarded three scholarships to female athletes to help them prepare for the Paris 2024 Games. Last December, the IOC warned Afghanistan that its delegation’s presence at the next Summer Games in the French capital would be conditional on women and girls having safe access to sport.
