Omid Shahid Mazari Futsal Team Suspends Activities After Name Change Demand at Mazar-i-Sharif Tournament

The Omid Shahid Mazari Futsal Team, established in 2015 and champion of the Daykundi province premier futsal league, has suspended all activities following a dispute over its name at a tournament in Mazar-i-Sharif, Balkh province.

The team traveled to Bahrami Hall in Mazar-i-Sharif for the event but was barred from participating unless it changed its name. In a statement titled 'Painful Announcement,' the team said continuing activities was impossible and announced the suspension of all operations. The team, which featured prominent players such as Omid Qanbari and Abbas Heydari, had planned to compete in the Afghanistan Premier Futsal League but halted those plans.

The dispute involves officials from Bahrami Futsal Hall and Ruhullah Ahmadi, manager of Ahmadi Futsal Hall. The team claims that members of the futsal committee and Afghanistan Football Federation, including Khalil Yaqubi, instructed Balkh sports officials to demand the name change.

The Deputy of Physical Education and the Afghanistan Football Federation denied any official involvement or pressure. They stated the tournament was unofficial and no such instructions were issued.