The Afghan Team for Olympia 2004 in Athens

The world is preparing four years for the Olympic games. Many athlets even have longer preparation times than that. But four years ago, in 2000, people in Afghanistan have not really been in a position to excercise and prepare for the Olympics. In fact, when the Games were on in Sydney in 2000 Afghanistan - at that time still under Taleban rule - was excluded from the Olympic movement and in the country women were banned from sports.

The more remarkable is that five young athlets from Afghanistan have been able to meet the qualification for the Games in Athens. They have been training for several months under difficult conditions, both at home in Afghanistan as well as in Greece, for the last couple of weeks.

Friba Razayee

Date of Birth: September 03, 1985
Age: 18
Discipline: Judo, Women's -70 kg

Robina Muqimyar

Date of Birth: July 03, 1986
Age: 18
Discipline: Track & Field, Women's 100m Sprint

Bashir Ahmad Rahmati

Date of Birth: June 05, 1985
Age: 19
Discipline: Wrestling, Men's Freestyle 55kg

Massoud Azizi

Date of Birth: February 02, 1985
Age: 19
Discipline: Track & Field, Men's 100m Sprint

Basharmal Sultani

Date of Birth: January 28, 1985
Age: 19
Discipline: Boxing, Men's Welter Weight (69kg)

Sultani Basharmal has been involved with boxing for four years. He has taken part in seven official comptetitions so far. In January 2004 he qualified for the Olympics at a comptetion in Manila, Phillippines.