Afghan Skiing Spirit

From the edge of a slope in the province of Bamiyan, rivals cheer as they take turns to race down the mountainside, united in keeping skiing alive in Afghanistan.

While it is home to spectacular mountain ranges, including the mighty Hindu Kush, the country does not have a widespread culture of skiing, with gear also costly and scarce.

That has not, however, stopped the growth of a thriving ski cohort, which is eager to keep developing the sport in Afghanistan, despite the loss of sponsors and prominent skiers who left the country after the Taliban takeover in 2021.

There are teams in at least six provinces, with hundreds of members, a chunk of whom took to the Bamiyan slopes earlier in March for the federation's first formal race of the season.

Wearing a hodge-podge of warm clothes and neon pinnies, a long line of competitors shouldered their skis as they marched up the Bamiyan piste, which lacked a lift.

A handful of men gathered to watch, joining in spirited applause as each adult and child racer zipped through the finish line.

Women no longer participate since the Taliban authorities effectively banned women from all sports, despite previously making up a large number of skiers in Bamiyan, according to the federation.

Foreign women do not face the same restrictions and visitors have continued to join Afghans on the slopes, including at events organized by the charity-backed Bamyan Alpine Ski Club.

One such event was the well-attended Afghan Peaks Ski Race, which was also sponsored this year by a local TV station.

Tourists with the adventure travel company Untamed Borders brought with them about 130 kilograms of gear into the country to donate.

Many skiers get by with donated equipment and handmade wooden skis.