The UCI has announced that it will host the 2022 Afghan Women's Championship road event at its Eagle headquarters in Switzerland this October.

The governing body of cycling announced in a press release that the events of last August in Afghanistan "had such an impact on some of the population, especially women," that it was no longer possible to host the race in the country.

In August 2021, the Taliban returned to power after 20 years across Afghanistan, and their religious extremism markedly and brutally reversed the progress made in gender equality over the previous two decades.

Many women have been forced to flee their countries as part of the Taliban's attempts to massively displace vulnerable citizens facing targeted gender violence, and last September they announced a ban on women playing sports.

Given the political situation in her country, the Afghan women's championships will be held next October 23 at the UCI headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland; the race, which will be run over a 28.5 km circuit, will include two categories, under 23 and elite women, and will feature about 60 participants currently in exile from their homeland It is scheduled to.

UCI President David Lapartient said in a press release that the UIC's decision to host this race was based on its participation in a previous joint initiative to help the Afghan cycling community evacuate riders from the country He said it was made in response to the decision."

As Lapartiento added, "The UCI has decided, on an exceptional basis and in cooperation with its partners, to ensure the continuity of the Afghan Cycling Federation's sporting activities." This year, the Afghanistan Cycling Federation will host the Women's National Road Cycling Championships."