Zakia Khudadadi, Afghan Taekwondo Athlete, Carries Olympic Torch

Khudadadi stated on her X page on Friday (26 July) that it was a great honor for her.

She wrote: "Today, I had the honor of carrying the Olympic torch. It was a great honor for me, and the feeling of pride was truly amazing."

Khudadadi added that the Olympic torch symbolizes unity, peace, freedom, and equality for the entire world.

It is worth noting that in June of this year, the International Olympic Committee announced that Afghanistan would participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics with a gender-equal team comprising three women and three men.

However, after the International Olympic Committee announced the formation of a six-member Afghan team for the Paris Olympics, the Taliban stated that they do not recognize the three female athletes included in the team.

The 2024 Paris Olympics will begin on July 26 and continue until August 11.

Zakia Khudadadi's carrying of the Olympic torch occurs while female athletes in Afghanistan face many restrictions and are not allowed to engage in sports activities by the Taliban.