Mehboba Ahdyar

'''Mehboba Ahdyar''' (born 1989 in [[Kabul]])<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=752/bio/index.html|title=Athletes > Mehboba Ahdyar > Bio|website=[[NBC]]|access-date=2013-07-13|archive-date=2014-01-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105013447/http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=752/bio/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> is an [[Afghanistan|Afghan]] [[Athletics (sport)|athlete]]. She was scheduled to be the only woman [[Afghanistan at the 2008 Summer Olympics|representing Afghanistan]] at the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in [[Beijing]], where she planned to compete in [[athletics (sport)|athletics]] in the women's 1,500 metres and 3,000 metres events.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2008-03-08 |title=Afghan Woman's Olympic Dream |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080317-olympics-video-ap.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080320022315/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080317-olympics-video-ap.html |archive-date=March 20, 2008 |work=National Geographic}}</ref>

'''Mehboba Ahdyar''' (born 1989 in [[Kabul]])<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=752/bio/index.html|title=Athletes > Mehboba Ahdyar > Bio|website=[[NBC]]|access-date=2013-07-13|archive-date=2014-01-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105013447/http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=752/bio/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> is an [[Afghanistan|Afghan]] [[Athletics (sport)|athlete]]. She was scheduled to be the only woman [[Afghanistan at the 2008 Summer Olympics|representing Afghanistan]] at the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in [[Beijing]], where she planned to compete in [[athletics (sport)|athletics]] in the women's 1,500 metres and 3,000 metres events.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2008-03-08 |title=Afghan Woman's Olympic Dream |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080317-olympics-video-ap.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080320022315/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080317-olympics-video-ap.html |archive-date=March 20, 2008 |work=National Geographic}}</ref>

Her family live in a mud brick house in one of the poorest parts of [[Kabul]].<ref name=autogenerated1>{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/afghan-woman-runs-toward-olympics-despite-jeers-potential-danger |title=Afghan Woman Runs Toward Olympics Despite Jeers, Potential Danger|agency=Associated Press|date=March 16, 2008}}</ref> She reportedly runs 1,500 metres in about 4:50.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

Her family live in a mud brick house in one of the poorest parts of [[Kabul]].<ref name=autogenerated1>{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/afghan-woman-runs-toward-olympics-despite-jeers-potential-danger|title=Afghan Woman Runs Toward Olympics Despite Jeers, Potential Danger|agency=Associated Press|date=March 16, 2008|archive-date=February 1, 2023|access-date=July 14, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201140200/https://www.foxnews.com/story/afghan-woman-runs-toward-olympics-despite-jeers-potential-danger|url-status=live}}</ref> She reportedly runs 1,500 metres in about 4:50.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

Ahdyar had won competitions in Afghanistan, but the Olympics was going to be her first competition outside her home country. However, she did not compete<ref>{{Cite web|website=About.com|url=http://middleeast.about.com/b/2008/08/04/olympic-mystery-what-happened-to-afghanistans-mehboda-ahdyar.htm|title=Olympic Mystery: What Happened to Afghanistan's Mehboba Ahdyar?|access-date=2009-09-09|archive-date=2009-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090713213036/http://middleeast.about.com/b/2008/08/04/olympic-mystery-what-happened-to-afghanistans-mehboda-ahdyar.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> because before the Olympics, on June 4, 2008, Ahdyar disappeared from a training facility in [[Formia]], [[Italy]], possibly to seek asylum.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/sports/olympics-female-afghan-runner-has-gone-missing/article_2257e4d6-1953-55aa-a649-4767d73d0f92.html |title= Olympics: Female Afghan runner has 'gone missing' |work=[[Santa Fe New Mexican]] |date=July 10, 2008}}</ref> Her whereabouts were then unknown.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2008-06-09 |title=Where Is the Afghan Female Runner? |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1821203,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080710133319/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1821203,00.html |archive-date=2008-07-10 |magazine=[[TIME]]}}</ref> On July 10, 2008, it became known that she was on her way to [[Norway]] to seek asylum.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/article4304884.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012143904/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/article4304884.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 12, 2008 |title=Fears ease after missing Afghan athlete found|work=[[TimesOnline]]|date=July 10, 2008}}</ref>

Ahdyar had won competitions in Afghanistan, but the Olympics was going to be her first competition outside her home country. However, she did not compete<ref>{{Cite web|website=About.com|url=http://middleeast.about.com/b/2008/08/04/olympic-mystery-what-happened-to-afghanistans-mehboda-ahdyar.htm|title=Olympic Mystery: What Happened to Afghanistan's Mehboba Ahdyar?|access-date=2009-09-09|archive-date=2009-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090713213036/http://middleeast.about.com/b/2008/08/04/olympic-mystery-what-happened-to-afghanistans-mehboda-ahdyar.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> because before the Olympics, on June 4, 2008, Ahdyar disappeared from a training facility in [[Formia]], [[Italy]], possibly to seek asylum.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/sports/olympics-female-afghan-runner-has-gone-missing/article_2257e4d6-1953-55aa-a649-4767d73d0f92.html |title= Olympics: Female Afghan runner has 'gone missing' |work=[[Santa Fe New Mexican]] |date=July 10, 2008}}</ref> Her whereabouts were then unknown.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2008-06-09 |title=Where Is the Afghan Female Runner? |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1821203,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080710133319/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1821203,00.html |archive-date=2008-07-10 |magazine=[[TIME]]}}</ref> On July 10, 2008, it became known that she was on her way to [[Norway]] to seek asylum.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/article4304884.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012143904/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/article4304884.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 12, 2008 |title=Fears ease after missing Afghan athlete found|work=[[TimesOnline]]|date=July 10, 2008}}</ref>