A former wife of the legendary US boxer Muhammad Ali has arrived in the Afghan capital, according to a Taliban government official. Khalilah Camacho-Ali, who was married to the boxer from 1967 to 1977, reportedly came to Kabul to inaugurate a sports stadium named 'Pirozi' (victory in Dari) and a sports association bearing Muhammad Ali's name.
Ahmadullah Wasiq, the head of the Taliban government's sports directorate, confirmed her arrival. Born as Belinda Boyd in 1950 in the United States, Camacho-Ali, like her ex-husband, converted to Islam after their marriage. Muhammad Ali himself had visited Kabul in 2002, a year after the US forces overthrew the first Taliban government, where he visited a girls' school as a United Nations peace ambassador.
Since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021, they have enforced a strict interpretation of Islamic law, severely restricting women's rights, including their participation in sports. The United Nations has described these restrictions as 'gender apartheid'. During the Taliban's initial rule from 1996 to 2001, public executions in sports stadiums were common. Such practices have continued since their return to power, with at least two public executions held in a sports stadium.
The authorities have also recently imposed restrictions on combat sports, stating that free fighting, such as in Mixed Martial Arts, is un-Islamic. Camacho-Ali, a martial artist herself, is also an actress and author, according to her website. Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Clay in Kentucky, is celebrated not only for his sporting achievements but also for his advocacy for civil rights for African Americans. He passed away in 2016.
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