Save 3 Afghan Cyclists!

An Open Letter to the Global Cycling Community: Nearly four years ago we started something audacious on this platform. We began fundraising to evacuate Afghan cyclists out of Afghanistan. The effort raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and in the end we evacuated hundreds of Afghans, safeguarded over 150 cyclists and their family members, and resettled them in 11 different countries. Three cyclists were left behind in Pakistan. Three young men that were leaders in the original Bamyan cycling community that should never have been left behind. They are incredible young men not only rode bikes, but built community, rode alongside the women, built and evolved the mountain biking sport, and one was a national team member. All three were evacuated safely to Pakistan, safeguarded in Islamabad and put on resettlement lists. They were not able to get their visas and were eventually pushed back into Afghanistan. Two, Shamsad and Ali Jan were key witnesses while in hiding to the UCI Ethics Commission investigation against the Afghan Cycling Federation President and Coach. They provided physical, concrete evidence of death threats and harrassment. They bravely spoke up and hande over evidence and gave testimony when many other cyclists refused due to their fear of reprisals. When the UCI Ethics Commission handed down a guilty verdict against the President and Coach - citing specifically the evidence Shamsad and Ali Jan submitted in their report - no reparations or support for the cyclists of any kind, nor apologies or outreach have been offered by UCI. Fazli on the other hand and his family, have had awards by UCI, asylum in Switzerland and Canada provided, and job security. In fact, despite widespread proof of abuse, harassment, against the cyclists in his care, he was only given a 15 month suspension and no fines. The cyclists have had zero offers of reparations. So, almost four years since the evacuations began and almost a year since the suspension was announced... it is up to us to do the work as cyclists, as individuals of conscious. We need to raise the money to safeguard these three cyclists so that we can evacuate them once again to a county that has embassies. They cannot process asylum paperwork inside Afghanistan. There are no embassies. They cannot evacuate until we have funding to support them longterm in a third country. We did this for over 150 Afghans in 2021 and 2022. We can do this for three cyclists now. THEN, we need all of us to pressure UCI to secure three visas. So first... this fundraiser needs to get shared far and wide around the world. EVERYONE needs to donate. $5, £10, 20 euros, 50 yen, whatever we can. We will do the work that should have been done 4 years ago. Cycling community can save three lives. Prove me wrong. AND we will pressure UCI to work with us to secure 3 visas as reparations in Switzerland and funding for resettlement.