The Afghan Cyclists Left Behind

and the Sports Federation who threatened their lives

Shamsad and Ali Jan were prominent cyclists in Bamyan. They were comrades of the well-known women Zahra Hussaini and Zakia Mohammadi, who founded the women's team and created the 'right-to-ride' movement in Bamyan. Zahra and Zakia were featured in the documentary I helped produce, Afghan Cycles, which premiered in 2018; they were both included in Hannah Ross's book about the history of women's cycling, Revolutions, and most recently, were the subject along with Zakia's younger sister, Reihanna, of Kim Cross's feature in Bicycling Magazine. These two women are legends of Afghan and women's cycling history. The same cycling community that Shamsad and Ali Jan were part of.

The Bamyan community is small. The capital of Bamyan province is Bamyan city, a walkable, bikeable town high up in the Hindu Kush. It has a tiny market in the center, a university, and a small airstrip that was only recently expanded to accommodate small civilian aircraft. Bamyan is famous for the enormous Buddhas that watched over the valley, blown up by the Taliban, but whose caves are still iconic reminders of the Buddhist history and rich archeological treasures that remain in this part of the country. I used to mountain bike on the plateau above the largest Buddha, they views are otherworldly. The original mens and women’s cycling teams founded by Zahra and Zakia and their comrades were named after the two Buddhas, one female and one male - Shahmama and Salsal.

These two teams developed and grew and evolved into the next generation Oqab teams which were thriving with both a women’s and men’s team when the Taliban took over Afghanistan. The majority of the women’s team was evacuated to Canada in an early September road evacuation. Two former members of the Women National Team, Najila and Maryam were on the evacuation. When news broke that they were safely out of the country, the President of the Afghan Cycling Federation, Fazli Ahmad Fazli, accused them publicly of not being ‘real’ cyclists and accused me of evacuating non-cyclists under the name of the federation.

When I began the evacuation of Afghan cyclists, I was focused on the women's teams because that was what my work in Afghanistan had been focused on and because the Taliban would be targeting women. I had supported the first national cycling team under a former President as far back as 2012, and supported Zahra and Zakia’s team beginning in 2014 with bikes and other support. I rode and trained with both teams and supported several other bike clubs that were created by girls wanting to learn to ride. My focus with my work in Afghanistan from 2006-2017 was women’s rights. Often that means supporting men as well, and during the evacuation, there were men that I evacuated or who I supported or safeguarded. Shamsad and Ali Jan, were part of the original cycling scene in Bamyan. You can see from the photo at the top a very young Shamsad with Zakia and Zahra. Later images show the cycling culture in Bamyan - it could be young men cycling in Colorado with the same vibe. 

The photo that stands out is of Ali Jan receiving an award from Fazli, in his role as the President of the Afghan Cycling Federation. The Federation ran the National Cycling Teams and oversaw the registered provincial teams and races. Many of those races occurred in Bamyan. The reason this photo is so important is that during the evacuation, particularly after the women’s Oqab team was evacauted, Fazli began threatening, harassing, and abusing cyclists. The 'why' is still not understood. There was nothing to be gained by the President of the Cycling Federation charged with safeguarding athletes, harassing, abusing, and threatening cyclists who were scared for their lives already, and trying to flee their country. But that's what he did. Publicly and privately. He tweeted, he sent messages, and he sent voice messages. Luckily, most of that was archived because this is a man who lied, repeatedly, despite being safe himself in Turkey when the Taliban walked into Kabul but worked against the multiple evacuations to prevent cyclists like Shamsad and Ali Jan from reaching safety. 

Fazli and his family were evacuated to Switzerland by the UCI and now live in Canada. But the cyclists that he discredited and threatened are still suffering. Many cyclists who were lucky enough to escape are still waiting for the Afghan Cycling Federation to recognize them, despite having been members of the National Cycling Team so that they can race officially in their new adopted countries of Italy or Germany. Others like Shamsad and Ali Jan were evacuated to Pakistan and safeguarded so that they could be included on an Italian humanitarian flight, but they were left off because the humanitarian organizers said they couldn't accept any more 'single men.' 

Fazli sent both these two cyclists direct death threats. Luckily, they kept these messages, and we submitted them as evidence along with dozens of other messages by other cyclists and the public harassment and abuse Fazli made towards me in an abuse case with UCI's Ethics Commission in March 2022. It took 2 1/2 years to get a decision, but finally, in July of this year, the Ethics Commission posted online - GUILTY. They gave Fazli a 15-month suspension. UCI did not, however, contact me, my lawyers at Hogan Lovells, or any of the cyclists involved before or after they made the verdict. This was an abuse case that involved athletes fearing for their lives, fleeing the Taliban and the collapse of their country, and receiving death threats and, in one case, an attempted kidnapping, but the Ethics Commission informed no one that a decision had been made. It was just posted online with all the other decisions? It shows a complete lack of care and safeguarding by UCI and the Ethics Commission at every level from start to finish. 

Two cyclists received direct death threats, and these two cyclists are the only two who have not received asylum. They were forced to flee back across the border to Afghanistan after they could no longer stay in Pakistan. It's been over 3 years since their first evacuation. Ali Jan's family home was seized by the Taliban two weeks ago. Both young men are struggling to live and to remain safe. The cycling community refused to help them 3 years ago. Their sports federation threatened them. UCI refused to protect them. We need to pressure the international community to offer them asylum. We need two visas for them and funding to safeguard them and help them get started again. They have been through more than any cyclist or young man should have been put through at the hands of their own cycling federation, and it was enabled by UCI, which shielded Fazli and gave him awards.

Fazli’s suspension is a no apologies or outreach to the cyclists have been made. No offer of reparations or support. Years of gaslighting, years of cover-up, years of extended harm. It was all just brushed under the rug. Meanwhile, the work continues without any support from the cycling community, which actively harmed cyclists and those working to safeguard them in the hour of need. 

The cycling community could financially support these two young men - so I could get them to safety tomorrow. But that requires some support until we can get them a visa. UCI could pressure Switzerland or other countries to offer asylum. And they should as part of the reparations for shielding the abuser for 3 years and ignoring and gaslighting my work to help these cyclists and others. 

Please share, amplify their story, and help us find a home for two incredible young men who deserve to be safe.