Afghan Cyclist Disguises Herself as Man to Train... Wins Silver at Asian Games

Afghan cyclist Fariba Hashemi won the silver medal in the women's road cycling race at the Asian Games, in the most significant achievement of her sporting career to date.

According to Deutsche Welle, Hashemi faced great difficulties at the level of training in Afghanistan, as at earlier stages of her career, she was forced to disguise herself as men and hide her face during training, to avoid the restrictions imposed on women to practice sports in her country.

The result comes at a time when Afghan women's sports have been facing ongoing challenges since the Taliban regained control of the country, with widespread restrictions on women's participation in sports and educational activities.

The Asian Games are one of the largest continental sporting events, with delegations from dozens of countries participating in various sports, including road cycling races that require high physical endurance.

The Afghan Olympic Committee and the Asian Cycling Confederation have not yet released further details about Hashemi's schedule for the rest of the competition.