The co-founder of the Afghan Times and journalist, Salma Niazi, has become the first Afghan to win the top prize in the “Young Reporters Writing” category at the International Sport Press Association’s (AIPS) 2025 Sport Media Awards, which honour the “world’s finest sports journalists”.
According to AIPS press release, the award ceremony was held at the iconic Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Salma Niazi was selected as the winner from a shortlist of five finalists in her category, surpassing Australia’s Eric Wu, Italy’s Matteo Arnoul, Uganda’s Nyerere Julius Joshua, and the United Kingdom’s Anthony Hanc and Will Palmer. She won for her feature, “You Will Not Grow Up in Silence: A Former Athlete Mother’s Fight for Freedom.” The finalists were chosen from 39 entries initially selected from the total submissions.
The award includes an AIPS scholarship to attend a major international sporting event.
The prize was presented by Morad Moutaouakkil, who described the winning feature as “a story that tells more about the situation women face in Afghanistan.”
According to AIPS, the eight edition of the AIPS awards received 1,987 submissions from 130 nationalities across five continents.
Niazi’s award-winning article highlights the struggles faced by Afghan women following the Taliban’s return to power. The report focuses on a former female athlete whose career and public life were abruptly halted after women were banned from participating in sports and many social activities.
According to the story, the athlete’s situation worsens as she is forced into marriage and confined to her home, reflecting the broader restrictions placed on women across Afghanistan. Her experience illustrates the loss of personal freedom, education, and professional opportunities under the current regime.
Despite these challenges, the narrative also emphasises resilience. After becoming a mother, the woman expresses her determination to ensure her daughter’s future is different. Through quiet resistance and hope, the story underscores the ongoing struggle for women’s rights and freedom in Afghanistan.
