Kim Kardashian, Leeds Owner Help Fly 130 Female Afghan Players to Britain

Kim Kardashian helped former Afghanistan captain to evacuate the soccer players & their families.

Kim Kardashian has helped in the evacuation of female Afghan footballers.

(Photo: Twitter)

Reality star Kim Kardashian and Leeds United soccer club owner Andrea Radrizzani have helped former Afghanistan captain Khalida Popal in flying 130 Afghan women soccer players and their families from Pakistan to Britain on Thursday.

Following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August, Copenhagen-based Popal has led evacuation efforts for female athletes in the country.

Kim Kardashian took to Twitter to say that it was a privilege to be a part of the 'life-saving' mission. "It's such a privilege to be a part of this life-saving mission to save the Afghan Female Youth National Team! All girls have the right to be whatever they want to be. They are courageous and it's tragic they had to flee their country because they wish to play a sport they love", she wrote.

Kim also drew attention to the fact that there are many other female athletes, activists, judges and journalists whose lives are at risk and who need to be rescued.

FIFA had said in October that the evacuation of a second group of 57 refugees from Afghanistan linked to women's soccer and basketball, comprising mainly women and children, had been completed after negotiations. Earlier this year, Australia evacuated more than 50 female Afghan athletes and their families.

The Taliban had banned women from taking part in sports or even going to a match when they last ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to the 2001 US-led invasion that followed the 11 September, 2001 Al-Qaeda attacks on the United States.