They arrived in Madrid from Kabul on Aug. 20 on a flight with 100 other refugees thanks to efforts by the Spanish government and the Spanish Basketball Federation. Nilofar Bayat, 28, and her husband Ramesh Naik Zai, 27, were offered the chance to play for Bidaideak Bilbao BSR, a wheelchair basketball team in the northern city of Bilbao. BILBAO — The captain of the Afghan women’s wheelchair basketball team made her debut for her new Spanish side on Saturday to cheers and applause just over a month after fleeing Kabul when the Taliban came to power. It was the first time Bayat had played on a mixed team. On Saturday, she was the only woman playing for Bidaideak Bilbao BSR in the side’s friendly match against Fundacion Vital Zuzenak.

Source: National Post October 02, 2021 18:00 UTC