Body blow for Afghan boxers

Afghan fighters are already out of the international ring

By Kate Clarke in Kabul

A Taleban leader has ordered all boxers in Afghanistan to avoid punching each other in the head or face.

The Taleban Sports Minister, Qalamuddin, said such punches were illegal under Islamic law.

In local newspapers he called boxing a dangerous sport, but he has fallen short of issuing an all-out ban.

It makes the Taleban the first government in the world to restrict boxing since international rules were standardised.

Moral crimes

Qalamuddin said Islam forbids people hitting each other in the face or head because of the danger of brain damage.

Like all senior Taleban officials he is a mullah trained in Islamic law.

His background is in the ministry for promoting virtue and preventing vice.

It polices moral crimes under Taleban law, like playing music, women being uncovered or men trimming their beards.

Since becoming president of the Olympic committee last year he has already banned sports events from being held in the late afternoon, when he says Muslims should be concentrating on their prayers.

Bearded boxers

There had been rumours that he was thinking about banning boxing altogether, but he seems to have decided that so long as the face and head are protected boxing is permissible under Islamic law.

This new ruling will be a further blow to Afghan boxers, as it is one of the few sports they have traditionally excelled at internationally.

The Taleban have made it compulsory for all men to grow beards.

That had disqualified Afghans from competing overseas, because under international rules boxers have to be clean-shaven.

However, the new ruling may well be celebrated by many doctors and liberals in the West, who also condemn boxing on health grounds.