Freedom to cycle — The female Afghan refugees rediscovering life on the bike in Italy
Israel-Premier Tech helped bring a group of 70 Afghan refugees to Italy in July as part of helping wider resettlement efforts
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Israel-Premier Tech has released a video documentary charting the progress and first ride of the group of Afghan refugees they helped to evacuate from the Taliban-run country earlier this summer.
In July, team owner Sylvan Adams met a group of 70 Afghan refugees - mainly female cyclists and athletes - at an airport in Rome after helping to assist in wider efforts to evacuate them from the country.
Under the Taliban regime many female athletes and women looking to develop their sporting opportunities were no longer safe.
One of the cyclists, Arica, explains that life in their home country quickly changed. “According to the rules of the new regime in Afghanistan, they say that sport is forbidden for girls,” she said. “If a girl cycles, that girl must be killed by the government or people.”
Now several months after their evacuation, Israel-Premier Tech has released a video of the group, titled ‘Racing for change, cycling to freedom’ of the women on their first ride in L’Aquila, Italy after fleeing Afghanistan.
“It’s a beautiful day for me,” one rider says as she beams into the camera. Another rider named Zarifa is visibly delighted to be riding again. The 20-year-old competed in races in the Middle Eastern country before the Taliban took control again.
Zarifa explains to the cameras that life as a female cyclist was difficult before the Taliban returned, although once the group were back in control what started as just initial negativity to women cycling turned into something far more sinister.
“People always told us how bad it is for us to ride a bike… ‘it’s only for boys’ they used to say,” she said. “Then came the new regime and they started threatening to kill us if we dared to ride again.” As well as cycling, studying also was quickly ruled out as being something open to young women in the region.
After the group initially escaped Afghanistan and Taliban rule, they were forced to wait for 10 months in Pakistan before Italy welcomed them as refugees. Israel-Premier Tech, the Italian government and Italian journalist Francesa Monzone were all instrumental in getting them to safety and making cycling and studying a possibility for them again.
On seeing the group now settled in L’Aquila, Israel-Premier Tech team owner Sylvan Adams said: “Seeing our Afghans’ gratitude for having been brought to freedom, is truly uplifting, and gives me the strength to continue. This is tempered by the concerns and fears that our saved Afghans feel for their relatives and friends left behind.
“We were only able to save a few but the Talmud tells us that even a single life saved uplifts our world.”
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Tom is a News and Features Writer at Cycling Weekly, and previously worked in communications at Oxford Brookes University. Alongside his day job, prior to starting with the team, he wrote a variety of different pieces as a contributor to a cycling website, Casquettes and Bidons, which included interviews with up and coming British riders.
-
-
'Don't use the bike': OPEN recalls all of its Campagnolo Ekar-equipped bikes and framesets
In Cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, OPEN Cycle has sent out a recall for all its Campagnolo Ekar-equipped gravel and road bikes.
By Anne-Marije Rook • Published
-
Tour of Flanders 2023: Five men and five women to watch on Sunday
Taking a closer look at the favourites ahead of this year's Ronde van Vlaanderen
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
'We are just getting started': Israel-Premier Tech launches Field of Dreams project in Rwanda
Pump track and cycling course built in Bugesera to help develop cycling talent in central Africa
By Adam Becket • Published
-
CW LIVE: Primož Roglič confirmed for Giro d'Italia 2023; Track rider hits 2,271 watts; NCL announces first two teams; Van Aert to ride cyclo-cross Worlds; Sram and Oakley team up with Jumbo-Visma; Rwanda unveils pump track: Evenepoel eyes Pogačar showdown
Join us as we round up the day's cycling news
By Tom Davidson • Last updated
-
'It was Purgatory': Cancer survivor rides 627km around Cyprus in a day
Alexandros Agrotis fought off fatigue to raise funds for thyroid cancer, which he had as a teenager
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Teams target up to four races a day in relegation points scramble
For Lotto-Soudal and Cofidis, the racing is only just beginning
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Israel-Premier Tech owner welcomes Afghan female cyclists and refugees in Italy after leading group's rescue
Team owner Sylvan Adams also highlighted his commitment to partner with two women's teams in 2023
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Israel-Premier Tech unveils limited edition Tour de France kit
Team launches ‘Field of dreams’ campaign to help kids in Rwanda
By Tom Thewlis • Last updated
-
'Perfect fit' — Israel-Premier Tech enter Women's WorldTour, partnering with Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad
Israeli-Canadian team will be a prominent sponsor of the Swiss women's team from this year
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Thieves steal 17 Factor bikes from Israel Cycling Academy training camp in Spain
It follows a number of other headline bike thefts in recent months
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published