Catapulted into the limelight for the wrong reasons, Kashmiri goalkeeper Afshan Ashiq is keen to grow out of the 'stone-pelter-turned footballer' tag after taking part in the ongoing Indian Women's League (IWL).
A photo of Afshan had gone viral on social media in December 2017 where she was seen throwing a stone at the Jammu and Kashmir police. Afshan was coaching budding 12-22 years old Kashmiri women football players at the Tourist Reception Centre ground in Srinagar when demonstrations broke out.
"I was labelled a stone pelter-turned into footballer. But I have always been a footballer, that was just one day," she said.
In that photo, Afshan's face was covered with a dupatta (a piece of cloth). But that did not stop the J&K sports secretary, and later her family from reprimanding her.
Afshan was wearing the same dress that she wore during the protest and that helped the sports secretary identify her.
My father was not as relenting as the sports secretary, Afshan said.
"After two months, my dad came to know about the incident and I was not allowed to leave home for one month. It was really bad. I used to beg my mom and tell her I'll just play for half an hour and come back. But she said she couldn't do anything and I had to be at home,” said Afshan.
The tag of a stone pelter stayed, threatening to derail her efforts in building a culture of women's football in Srinagar. Unique Football Girls, an academy she had started, had been training up to 150 girls at the TRC ground.
“They used to say boys would come to watch and comment at TRC. I told them boys used to comment even when I started playing, but I got around it and the other girls will to," Afshan said.
Currently sidelined with an injury in the IWL, Afshan is pursuing her playing career in Mumbai.
"There are 10-12 teams in the Mumbai state league and the tournament goes on for a month. Apart from this league, I play 5-a-side and 7-a-side tournaments. Then there is this Roots Premier League. We play three months for that too,” added Afshan.
Afshan will take part in the Roots Premier League, an 8-a-side tournament, next in Mumbai. But by her own admission, she wants to return to the Valley and help the girls there to tread her path.
The success of Real Kashmir, which finished third in the I-League this season on debut, has inspired many youngsters from the state to think of a career in the game, says Afshan.
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