Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

Afghan Athletes Dream of Olympic Gold

Aired February 09, 2002 - 17:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Getting to the Summer Games is the focus for one group of athletes from, of all places, Afghanistan. Finally free from the tyranny of the Taliban, these athletes hope to be part of the next Olympic Games in Athens. They say having the opportunity to represent their country would be a dream come true. Here's CNN's Michael Holmes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the dimly lit Kabul weight room, Zabayola (ph) begins what he dreams is a journey to Olympic gold. Under the youthful gaze of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and enduring yet another power failure, Afghanistan's national weightlifting team trains in this dingy gym, many of the weights salvaged from old cars.

MOHAMMED AZAMI KOHI, WEIGHTLIFTING COACH (through translator): It is very important to take part in the Olympics, because for so many years we could not participate in anything.

HOLMES: Yonus Hayran is possibly his country's best hope for a medal in Athens, in Greco-Roman wrestling. He's coach of the national juniors, and star of the senior team.

YONUS HAYRAN, WRESTLER (through translator): Under the Taliban, we were like smugglers working in secret. But now, they are no restrictions. We do what we need to do.

HOLMES: We took a tour around Kabul training centers, which by Western standards barely qualify. What these people do have in common with Western athletes, however, is desire and pride in representing their country.

MAHMOOD ZIA DASHTI, HEAD OF AFGHAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (through translator): We want Afghan athletes who have left to come back home and compete.

HOLMES: We met with Mahmood Zia Dashti at the headquarters of the Afghan Olympic Committee. You might remember this stadium: Under the Taliban, adulterers were shot or beheaded in this place, thieves had their hands cut off, others were hanged.

Now the stadium is again a field of dreams, not nightmares, a home for sportsmen and women. Yes, women. Under the Taliban, women like Maliha Baraky, former national basketball captain, had to give up sports altogether, give up public life, work, everything.

MALIHA BARAKY, FORMER NATIONAL BASKETBALL CAPTAIN (through translator): It's so hard to play for a long time and then stop for years.

HOLMES: But now, she is back on the court, without a burkah, playing one-on-one with a man.

BARAKY (through translator): We want a strong team, a woman's team to take part in the Olympics. This is our hope.

HOLMES (on camera): Afghanistan was banned from Olympics competition in 1999 because the Taliban did not allow women to compete. Well, that might be about to change now. The International Olympic Committee is sending an envoy here to Afghanistan, and that might open the door for a return to the Olympics fold.

(voice-over): And in true Olympic spirit, medals don't matter all that much to these athletes. Just being in Athens would be the victory they have been dreaming of.

Michael Holmes, CNN, Kabul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com