• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Guest Post
  • Contact
Sunday, June 26, 2022
  • Login
World News Times
  • Home
  • News
    • Europe
      • France
      • Germany
      • Russia
      • United Kingdom
    • Americas
      • United States
      • Canada
      • Mexico
    • Asia
      • China
      • India
      • Japan
      • Pakistan
    • Australia
    • Middle East
    • Africa
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Environment
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
World News Times
  • Home
  • News
    • Europe
      • France
      • Germany
      • Russia
      • United Kingdom
    • Americas
      • United States
      • Canada
      • Mexico
    • Asia
      • China
      • India
      • Japan
      • Pakistan
    • Australia
    • Middle East
    • Africa
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Environment
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
World News Times
No Result
View All Result
Home Sports

First Afghan to play in Britain ‘would be killed by Taliban’ if he went home

WNTimes by WNTimes
August 21, 2021
in Sports
A A
0
134
SHARES
891
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

MAZIAR KOUHYAR holds the honour as the first Afghan to play professional football in Britain.

Yet if the Afghanistan star, 23, was to return to his homeland he fears the Taliban would take him to the national stadium in Kabul to EXECUTE him.

6

Maziar Kouhyar and his dad Karim fled the Taliban in 1999 when he was just two years oldCredit: DAVE PINEGAR
Maziar (left) in action for the Afghanistan national team

6

Maziar (left) in action for the Afghanistan national team

The former Walsall winger – now playing for Hereford – came over to the UK with his parents as refugees in 1999 when he was two as they fled the evil regime.

Dad Karim, 55, was a military officer in the Afghan army before it was overrun by the Taliban – but later returned to work as a political affairs officer for the UN, helping develop the country and its infrastructure, and a cultural adviser to NATO. He also taught British troops Afghanistan’s native Persian language.

Maziar said: “My dad is seen as a collaborator and every one of my family, including me, is under threat of being executed. We have relatives that are now in hiding.

“The Taliban are against the values of civilised people in 2021. Even if I was to wear shorts, they’d take issue.

“My dad got arrested before we fled because his beard wasn’t long enough!

“Three years ago I pulled out of the Afghanistan squad because the friendly against Palestine was in Kabul. It was too dangerous to risk going back because the Taliban have always been lurking about.”

Maziar lives in Birmingham with his dad, mum Latifa, 47, brothers Afshin, 20, Sam, 9, and sister Lola, 16.

And they are worried sick about events in the stricken Asian country.

Karim, who had one of his own brothers killed by the Taliban said: “Lola and Sam are getting Persian lessons via Zoom from a lady in Kabul and last night the Taliban visited her friend’s house.

“They demanded to know how many females were inside and ordered two of them out, saying they were not allowed to stay overnight. They took the girls back to their homes.

“This was a day after the Taliban claimed females would be treated normally but unfortunately that’s within THEIR interpretation of Islam.

Maziar at the time he was given safe refuge by the UK

6

Maziar at the time he was given safe refuge by the UK
Karim (centre) during happier times living in Afghanistan with his friends

6

Karim (centre) during happier times living in Afghanistan with his friends
SunSport's Justin Allen met with Maziar and dad Karim at their Birmingham home

6

SunSport’s Justin Allen met with Maziar and dad Karim at their Birmingham home

“They won’t respect women or girls, it’s a PR stunt. They’ll appoint a few women to senior positions until foreign forces are out then they’ll go back to their old ways.

“Their claims of an amnesty for those who worked for the Americans and British aren’t true either. They’d shoot me straight away.”

Latifa was a student pharmacist but when the Taliban took over they closed her university and banned females from getting an education. Since then, here in the UK, she has done courses and become a child care worker.

Maziar has only been to Afghanistan twice – when his dad was working there – and he remembers: “You could see real progress was being made – they had built hospitals, clinics, schools, roads and men and women could roam the streets freely and equally.

“Three of my aunties all had jobs. Now that’s under threat.”

Maziar has six caps for his country but has been in several of their squads. Afghanistan are ranked 153rd in the Fifa rankings and the winger believes the team are “probably League Two standard”.

He said: “The squad is full of refugees who fled the Taliban with their families and they live across the world. Even our head coach Anoush Dastgir lives in Holland.

“We play home games in places like Doha, Dubai and neighbouring Tajikistan.

“The future of our national team is now in doubt. We’re one qualifying stage away from reaching the Asian Cup finals with our six group games next year.

“I hope Fifa and the Asian Football Federation don’t kick us out because the national team will give our people hope and something to unite around.”
But the Taliban’s relationship with football is not good.

The Taliban used to hang severed arms and legs from the crossbars inside the national stadium in Kabul as a sinister warning to would-be thieves

KARIM KOUHYAR

Karim said: “They prefer using stadiums to carry out executions, tortures or cutting hands or arms off teenagers who may have stolen a loaf of bread rather than staging matches.

“The Taliban used to hang severed arms and legs from the crossbars inside the national stadium in Kabul as a sinister warning to would-be thieves.

“Women would get shot there for the Taliban’s interpretation of being unfaithful.”

Maziar – who idolised Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho – was able to realise a football dream after the family moved to Coventry, where his dad opened a restaurant.

He got signed up as a kid by the Sky Blues and later Walsall, making 33 first-team appearances for the then-League One club, scoring three times.

But before all of that Maziar had to deal with racial abuse: “We lived on a council estate and bigger kids down the park called me ‘P***’ and ‘a terrorist’ while also telling me, ‘to go back to your own country’.

“But it’s important to stress I never suffered anything like that at Coventry or Walsall, where everyone was welcoming. They respected me as a footballer.”

Mum-of-five Zarmina is executed in front of 30,000 in a football stadium in Kabul in 1999

6

Mum-of-five Zarmina is executed in front of 30,000 in a football stadium in Kabul in 1999

Maziar had the honour of playing at Wembley for Hereford in the FA Trophy final against Hornchurch in May – in front of his proud family.

He said: “I had immense pride thinking here I was, an Afghan refugee playing at the home of football.

“I had knee injuries which hampered me at Walsall – but now I am fully fit and want to get back into the EFL.”

Maziar’s family have been able to build a good, safe life in the UK – although Karim says “I’ll forever love this country and everything it’s done for me, my wife and children but with no disrespect intended it’ll never be truly home – Afghanistan will always rule my heart.”

Source: The Sun

Related Posts

Sports

Riyad Mahrez ready to sign new £160k-a-week deal to commit career to Man City

June 26, 2022
Sports

Brooks in emotional return to Bournemouth training after winning cancer fight

June 26, 2022
Sports

Transfer news LIVE – all the latest from around the market

June 26, 2022
Sports

Man Utd transfer news LIVE: Latest updates as Ten Hag targets signings

June 26, 2022
Sports

Chelsea in for Dembele LATEST, Blues owner met Ronaldo’s agent for sensational transfer, £38m De Ligt updates – latest

June 26, 2022
Sports

World Cup fans warned of six months’ JAIL for drinking outside special zones

June 25, 2022

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Premium Content

Reports Say That Israeli Spyware Has Been Linked To 50,000 Phone Numbers Worldwide

Reports Say That Israeli Spyware Has Been Linked To 50,000 Phone Numbers Worldwide

July 20, 2021
Covid-19

7 Future HR Trends Post Covid-19

September 12, 2021
Monkey B Virus

China Reports Its First Death from the Monkey B Virus

October 10, 2021
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

Amir Tsarfati: Breaking News

February 22, 2022

Female jockey Eszter Jeles dead at 21: ‘Hero’ rider suffers fatal injuries in horror mid-race fall

September 20, 2021

Jim Cramer: China's Evergrande 'contagion' stops at U.S. borders

November 21, 2021

Tammy Richards Lawsuit Against LoanDepot

September 23, 2021
Reports Say That Israeli Spyware Has Been Linked To 50,000 Phone Numbers Worldwide

Reports Say That Israeli Spyware Has Been Linked To 50,000 Phone Numbers Worldwide

0
lockdown

No lockdown even though the cases are high

0
cyber-surveillance

How To Become A Successful Business Consultant In The Internet Marketing Industry

0

The Ultimate Business Consultant Resources

0

China’s northern parts swelter in temps as high as 40℃

June 26, 2022

Less than 3% of Japan firms exiting Russia, lowest among G7: survey

June 26, 2022

Porsche’s 963 is a Prototype Destined for Le Mans

June 26, 2022

Riyad Mahrez ready to sign new £160k-a-week deal to commit career to Man City

June 26, 2022

Latest News

China

China’s northern parts swelter in temps as high as 40℃

June 26, 2022
Japan

Less than 3% of Japan firms exiting Russia, lowest among G7: survey

June 26, 2022
Technology

Porsche’s 963 is a Prototype Destined for Le Mans

June 26, 2022
Sports

Riyad Mahrez ready to sign new £160k-a-week deal to commit career to Man City

June 26, 2022
News

Rep. Miller thanks Trump for ‘victory for white life,’ campaign says she misread remarks

June 26, 2022
United Kingdom

Today’s top headlines from The Telegraph

June 26, 2022
World News Times

World News Times is a site specialized in global news for all regions and continents such as Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa, we offer you exclusive and certified news from the largest reliable sources in the world.

Categories

  • Africa
  • Australia
  • Business
  • Canada
  • China
  • Energy
  • Environment
  • Europe
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Internet Marketing
  • Israeli Spyware
  • Japan
  • Latest News
  • Lockdown
  • Mexico
  • Middle East
  • News
  • Norway
  • Norway
  • Pakistan
  • Politics
  • Russia
  • Social Impact
  • Space
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Ukraine
  • Uncategorized
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Videos
  • Worldwide

Recent News

  • China’s northern parts swelter in temps as high as 40℃
  • Less than 3% of Japan firms exiting Russia, lowest among G7: survey
  • Porsche’s 963 is a Prototype Destined for Le Mans
  • Riyad Mahrez ready to sign new £160k-a-week deal to commit career to Man City
  • Rep. Miller thanks Trump for ‘victory for white life,’ campaign says she misread remarks
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Guest Post
  • Contact

© 2021 World News Times.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Europe
      • France
      • Germany
      • Russia
      • United Kingdom
    • Americas
      • United States
      • Canada
      • Mexico
    • Asia
      • China
      • India
      • Japan
      • Pakistan
    • Australia
    • Middle East
    • Africa
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Environment
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Videos

© 2021 World News Times.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In