Skip to main content

Being a recreational athlete in Kandahar isn't easy.

Equipment is expensive, when even $20 shoes represent a double-digit percentage of a monthly wage. Fields are crowded, far away and often muddy. Furthermore, there is only one multisport complex, which is outdoors. There's no major indoor facility in the entire city, which has an estimated population of about 800,000.

"When it's raining, really cold or really hot, we can't play," said Wali Mohammad, a 21-year-old soccer player from Kandahar.

The city and its 21,800 enrolled recreational athletes (said to be almost all men) are in line for a big boost, however. Coalition forces are considering a deal to build what would be Kandahar's only indoor athletic facility.

Canadian Brigadier-General Daniel Ménard, the head of the coalition's task force in Kandahar, said in an interview that coalition forces are "looking at" building the multi-use centre, with possible American funding, but that it's in the early stages and any ribbon-cutting is a ways off. He framed it as an investment in sport that is meant to draw young men away from the insurgency.

The big-ticket project, if ever approved, would come as good news to Ahmadullah Gulali, sports director in Kandahar, which is the largest city in Afghanistan's volatile south. Mr. Gulali has appealed publicly for such a facility as a sports culture continues to grow in the city.

"This is a big problem," he said. "We need a big gymnasium, a big sports facility in Kandahar … we don't have the facilities for the players." He has not been contacted by coalition forces about any plans for a stadium. Told of Gen. Ménard's comments, Mr. Gulali said such a plan would be "very, very important" in Kandahar. "I'm so happy" at the prospect, he said.

The city's sports wish list doesn't stop there, however. It also includes three soccer fields, uniforms and equipment, and a gym for bodybuilders, a popular sport in Afghanistan, the director said.

Gen. Ménard said Canada is fixing up three of the six soccer fields run by the city. If approved, the gym would be a significant achievement for the current rotation of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, which one source said has been less supportive of sports than Gen. Ménard's predecessor. The former commander's rotation bought equipment and jerseys, and Canadians have previously renovated the outdoor complex.

"Their target is totally different than the last roto," said the Canadian source, speaking on condition of anonymity. "[Mr. Gulali's office]has put a request into the new roto, but nothing has happened yet." Sports are a good investment for Canadians in the city, the source said.

"It has a very positive impact on the people of Afghanistan. And for the young generation, it shows getting back to normal life." Gen. Ménard said he's focusing on big-ticket items, and declined to compare his production to that of his predecessor.

"The gymnasium that includes sports fields of different kinds and everything else is also a big thing that they want. So we want to make sure we put all of this together for them. But … it takes a while to do all of this," Gen. Ménard said. "I'm not suggesting that to give balls or jerseys are not important. What I'm saying is we're working on these things. And not [just]discussing it; we're in it together. In some cases - the fields - we're working as we speak on them."

In addition to providing renovations and equipment, Canada has provided security at sports events. A major soccer tournament in December, which pitted teams from one province against the other, was guarded by Canadian troops, whose behaviour was generally "very, very good," Mr. Mohammad said.

However, despite security precautions taken, the sports director is not worried about any Taliban attacks on any large sports centre, even one built with coalition money.

"No, there is no danger," he said. "There are no problems with security." The sentiment was echoed by a Taliban spokesman, himself a backer of sports programming.

"We do fighting with the military, not with sports people. We don't have any problem with the people who play sports. According to Islamic rules, sport is good for health and for mind, too, so every person needs sports," the Taliban fighter said.

Interact with The Globe