Mehboba Ahdyar
Encyclopedia
Mehboba Ahdyar, born in 1988 or 1989, is an Afghan
athlete. She was scheduled to be the only woman representing Afghanistan
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing
, where she planned to compete in athletics in the women's 1,500 metres and 3,000 metres events.
Her family live in a mud brick house in one of the poorest parts of Kabul
. She reportedly runs 1,500 metres in about 4:50.
Ahdyar has won competitions in Afghanistan, but the Olympics was going to be her first competition outside her home country. However, she did not compete because before the Olympics, on June 4, 2008, Ahdyar disappeared from a training facility in Formia
, Italy
, possibly to seek asylum. Her whereabouts were then unknown. On July 10, 2008, it became known that she was on her way to Norway
to seek asylum.
The Afghan embassy in the United States
reported that, as she trained for the Olympics, Ahdyar faced "daily taunts from her more conservative neighbors, vicious rumors about her character, and even death threats from extremists."
Ahdyar planned on wearing a Muslim
scarf during the competition: "I will not take off my scarf in China
when I race because it is symbol of Muslim women."
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
athlete. She was scheduled to be the only woman representing Afghanistan
Afghanistan at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Afghanistan sent a team to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The team consisted of three men and one woman. Initially, Mehboba Ahdyar prepared to run the 800 metres and 1500 metres, but left her training camp on June 4 to seek political asylum in Norway.The country was...
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, where she planned to compete in athletics in the women's 1,500 metres and 3,000 metres events.
Her family live in a mud brick house in one of the poorest parts of Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
. She reportedly runs 1,500 metres in about 4:50.
Ahdyar has won competitions in Afghanistan, but the Olympics was going to be her first competition outside her home country. However, she did not compete because before the Olympics, on June 4, 2008, Ahdyar disappeared from a training facility in Formia
Formia
Formia is a city and comune in the province of Latina, on the Mediterranean coast of Lazio . It is located halfway between Rome and Naples, and lies on the Roman-era Appian Way.-History:...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, possibly to seek asylum. Her whereabouts were then unknown. On July 10, 2008, it became known that she was on her way to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to seek asylum.
The Afghan embassy in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
reported that, as she trained for the Olympics, Ahdyar faced "daily taunts from her more conservative neighbors, vicious rumors about her character, and even death threats from extremists."
Ahdyar planned on wearing a Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
scarf during the competition: "I will not take off my scarf in China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
when I race because it is symbol of Muslim women."