kabul nouras determination to play sports was so great that she defied her familys opposition for years beatings from her mother and jeers from her neighbors never stopped her from the sports she lovedbut the 20yearold afghan woman could not defy her countrys taliban rulers they have not just banned all sports for women and girls they have actively intimidated and harassed those who once played often scaring them from even practicing in private noura and other women saynoura has been left shattered im not the same person anymore she said since the taliban came i feel like im deada number of girls and women who once played a variety of sports told the associated press they have been intimidated by the taliban with visits and phone calls warning them not to engage in their sports the women and girls spoke on condition of anonymity for fear they will face further threatsthey posed for an ap photographer for portraits with the equipment of the sports they loved they hid their identities with burqas the allencompassing robes and hood that completely cover the face leaving only a mesh to see through they didnt normally wear the burqa but they said they sometimes do now when they go outside and want to remain anonymous and avoid harassmentthe ban on sports is part of the talibans escalating campaign of restrictions that have shut down life for girls and womensince their takeover of afghanistan in august 2021 the taliban have barred girls from attending middle and high school last month they ordered all women thrown out of universities as wellthe taliban require women to cover their hair and faces in public and prohibit them from going to parks or gyms they have severely limited womens ability to work outside the home and most recently forbade nongovernmental organizations from employing women a step that could cripple the vital flow of aideven before the taliban womens sports were opposed by many in afghanistans deeply conservative society seen as a violation of womens modesty and of their role in society still the previous internationallybacked government had programs encouraging womens sports and school clubs leagues and national teams for women in many sportsa 20yearold mixed martial artist recalled how in august 2021 she was competing in a local womens tournament at a kabul sports hall word spread through the audience and participants that the advancing taliban were on the citys outskirts all the women and girls fled the hall it was the last competition the young athlete ever played inmonths later she said she tried to give private lessons for girls but taliban fighters raided the gym where they were practicing and arrested them all in detention the girls were humiliated and mocked she said after mediation by elders they were released after promising not to practice sports anymoreshe still practices at home and sometimes teaches her close friendslife has become very difficult for me but i am a fighter so i will continue to live and fight