Taliban not allowed into Sydney
Over the weekend, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) canceled the invitation to the official Taliban delegation to the Sydney Olympics. The Taliban have become victims of their own intemperance. In early August, the Taliban delegation, which visited the IOC headquarters in Lausanne (Switzerland), managed to prove to the Olympic officials that their previous decision not to accept the Taliban delegation was “discriminatory towards the Afghan people” (however, to send a team of wrestlers and boxers to the Taliban to the Olympics it was never allowed).
Immediately after the invitation to the official delegation was sent, the Taliban announced that this meant international recognition of their regime. But the IOC has a principle: sport is beyond politics. In addition, the Afghan community in Australia strongly opposed the Taliban invitation. In general, the IOC was forced to backtrack. Thus, the 2000 Olympics will be the first since 1936 in which Afghan athletes will not take part.

IGOR Kommersant-FRUMKIN

Newspaper "Kommersant" No. 159 dated 08.29.2000, p. 8