The International Cycling Union has announced that it will host the Afghan Women's Cycling Championship in Switzerland this year.
Fifty cyclists who fled Afghanistan following the fall of the previous government are set to compete.

The Taliban have banned women's sports in Afghanistan.
The competition will be held in two groups of adults and under 23 on October 23, 2022, and participants will cover a distance of 28.5 km.

David Lappartient, president of the World Cycling Union, said he was doing so in support of the Afghan Cycling Federation, which is not possible in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.

"It is very important for the International Cycling Union to commit to helping members of the world cycling family who have been deprived of their freedom of life, effort and dreams," he added.

Masoumeh Alizadeh, the first Afghan cyclist to compete in the Olympics, will take part in the Games after attending Tokyo 2020 for the refugee team.

After the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, girls were banned from sports and the girls' cycling team left Afghanistan.