In post-Taliban Afghanistan, the women's football team was hailed globally as a symbol of the new freedoms enjoyed by the country's women.
But now one of Afghanistan's top sports officials has admitted that female footballers – who defied hard-liners and militants by daring to take to the field in the first place – have been sexually abused. And it's not only football – he admitted the problem extends to other sports too.
Most women athletes are too frightened to speak publicly about alleged abuse by coaches and sporting officials. But several have now disclosed privately to the BBC what they have experienced.
The scandal has exploded in the last few days. On Friday, football's governing body Fifa said it was investigating claims made by women in the national football squad.
The following day, Afghanistan's Attorney General's Office announced its own investigation. Hummel, a Danish sportswear company, pulled sponsorship of the Afghan Football Federation (AFF), which is at the heart of the allegations.
Sayed Alireza Aqazada, the secretary general of the federation, whose president Keramuddin Karim is among the accused, repeated previous denials. The women's stories aren't true, he said. No sexual harassment had ever been carried out against any female player.
But the furore is showing no signs of abating. Questions were asked in both houses of Afghanistan's parliament…
