Afghanistan at the 2022 Asian Games

Afghanistan at the
2022 Asian Games
Afghanistan at the; 2022 Asian Games
	Flag of Afghanistan
IOC code	AFG
NOC	National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
in Hangzhou; 19 September 2023 – 8 October 2023
Competitors	83 in 16 sports
Flag bearers	Kamia Yousufi; Mohsen Rezaee
Medals; Ranked 30th	Gold 0 Silver 1 Bronze 4 Total 5
Asian Games appearances (overview)
	1951; 1954; 1958; 1962; 1966; 1970; 1974; 1978; 1982; 1986; 1990; 1994; 1998; 2002; 2006; 2010; 2014; 2018; 2022; 2026;

Afghanistan competed at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, which was held from 23 September 2023 to 8 October 2023.^[4]^[5]

These games marked Afghanistan's best ever performance at the Asian Games with the country winning 5 medals in total.^[6]

Background

This was the first time Afghanistan competed in the Asian Games since the Taliban takeover of the country following the fall of Kabul in 2021.^[7]

The Afghanistan delegation consisted of two groups, an all-male contingent backed by the Taliban and another supported by Hafizullah Wali Rahimi, who was president of the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee prior to the Taliban takeover. The latter group were from the Afghan diaspora and included women.^[7] Their chef de mission was Khwaja Hashmatullah Rasa.^[8] The Taliban rejected Afghanistan's entire participation with women athletes in the games at all.^[9]

Afghanistan still competed under the old Islamic Republic tricolor flag, instead of the white banner preferred by the Taliban. The contingent at the opening ceremony included women, with Mohsen Rezaee and Kamia Yousufi as flagbearers.^[1]

Medal summary

Medalists

The following Afghanistan competitors won medals at the Games.

Medal	Name	Sport	Event	Date
Silver	Afghanistan national cricket team	Cricket	Men's tournament	7 Oct
Bronze	Mohsen Rezaee	Taekwondo	Men's 58 kg	25 Sep
Bronze	Khalid Hotak	Wushu	Men's sanda 70 kg	27 Sep
Bronze	Nasratullah Habibi	Wushu	Men's sanda 75 kg	27 Sep
Bronze	Baiqara Rasooli	Kurash	Men's 81 kg	1 Oct

Medals by sports

Total	0	1	4	4
Sport				Total
Cricket	0	1	0	0
Kurash	0	0	1	1
Taekwondo	0	0	1	1
Wushu	0	0	2	2

Medals by day
Day	Date				Total
1	September 24	0	0	0	0
2	September 25	0	0	1	1
3	September 26	0	0	0	0
4	September 27	0	0	2	2
5	September 28	0	0	0	0
6	September 29	0	0	0	0
7	September 30	0	0	0	0
8	October 1	0	0	1	1
9	October 2	0	0	0	0
10	October 3	0	0	0	0
11	October 4	0	0	0	0
12	October 5	0	0	0	0
13	October 6	0	0	0	0
14	October 7	0	1	0	1
15	October 8	0	0	0	0

Competitors

Sport	Men	Women	Total
Athletics	1	1	2
Boxing	3	0	3
Canoeing	1	0	1
Cricket	15	0	15
Cycling	0	2	2
Judo	2	0	2
Ju-jitsu	3	0	3
Karate	2	0	2
Kurash	3	0	3
Rugby sevens	12	0	12
Swimming	1	0	1
Taekwondo	5	0	5
Volleyball	12	12	24
Weightlifting	1	0	1
Wrestling	3	0	3
Wushu	4	0	4
Total	68	15	83

Cricket

Men's tournament

Squad

Football

The national under-23 football team withdrew from the men's tournament before matches started.^[10]

Summary

Key:

A.E.T – After extra time.
P – Match decided by penalty-shootout.

Team	Event	Group Stage				Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Final / BM
Team	Event	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Rank	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Rank
Afghanistan men's under-23	Men's tournament	Uzbekistan WD	~~Syria~~ WD	Hong Kong WD	—	Withdrew

Volleyball

Summary

Team	Event	Group stage				Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Final / BM
Team	Event	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Rank	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score
Afghanistan men's	Men's tournament	Japan L 0–3	Philippines L 0–3	Indonesia L 0–3	4	Did not advance
Afghanistan women's	Women's tournament	Kazakhstan L 0–3	Japan L 0–3	Hong Kong L 0–3	4	Did not advance

Men's tournament

Squad

Wushu

Sanda

Athlete	Event	Round of 16	Quarter-finals	Semi-finals	Final
Athlete	Event	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Rank
Mohammad Karim Faqiri	Men's –56 kg	Guitara (INA) L 1–2	Did not advance
Majid Rasoli	Men's –65 kg	Jeon (KOR) L 0–2	Did not advance
Khalid Hotak	Men's –70 kg	Izmurzayev (KAZ) W 2–0	Yadav (IND) W KO	He (CHN) L 0–2	Did not advance
Nasratullah Habibi	Men's –75 kg	Bye	Saophanao (THA) W 2–0	Sabriabibegloo (IRI) L PD	Did not advance

Notes

^ Afghanistan still competes under the old tricolor flag used by the former Islamic Republic and not the white banner preferred by the Taliban government.^[1]^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b "China's Xi opens Hangzhou Asian Games, ceremony dazzles". AsiaOne. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
^ "Afghan wushu fighters defy money woes to pursue Asian Games glory". New Straits Times. Agence France Presse. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
^ "NOC Profile".
^ "NOC Entries - Team Afghanistan | The 19th Asian Games". info.hangzhou2022.cn.
^ "Taliban send all-male team to Asian Games but Afghan women come from outside". The Independent. 22 September 2023.
^ "Asian Games 2023: Pakistan, Bangladesh and More: How India's neighbors fared in the Asian Games Medal Tally?". MyKhel. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Taliban send all-male team to Asian Games but Afghan women come from outside". AP News. Associated Press. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
^ "Afghanistan Hangzhou 2022 delegation to include 17 women despite Taliban rule". www.insidethegames.biz. 22 September 2023.
^ "Taliban Denies Afghanistan Sending Female Athletes To Asian Games". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. RL's Radio Azadi. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
^ "Asian Games 2023 men's football: Results, scores, points table and medal winners - full list".

[3] Afghanistan still competes under the old tricolor flag used by the former Islamic Republic and not the white banner preferred by the Taliban government.^[1]^[2]

[asia-one-1] "China's Xi opens Hangzhou Asian Games, ceremony dazzles". AsiaOne. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.

[2] "Afghan wushu fighters defy money woes to pursue Asian Games glory". New Straits Times. Agence France Presse. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.

[4] "NOC Profile".

[5] "NOC Entries - Team Afghanistan | The 19th Asian Games". info.hangzhou2022.cn.

[6] "Taliban send all-male team to Asian Games but Afghan women come from outside". The Independent. 22 September 2023.

[7] "Asian Games 2023: Pakistan, Bangladesh and More: How India's neighbors fared in the Asian Games Medal Tally?". MyKhel. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.

[taliban-8] "Taliban send all-male team to Asian Games but Afghan women come from outside". AP News. Associated Press. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.

[9] "Afghanistan Hangzhou 2022 delegation to include 17 women despite Taliban rule". www.insidethegames.biz. 22 September 2023.

[10] "Taliban Denies Afghanistan Sending Female Athletes To Asian Games". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. RL's Radio Azadi. Retrieved 24 September 2023.

[11] "Asian Games 2023 men's football: Results, scores, points table and medal winners - full list".

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