Referee, Joanna Charaktis, helped get female Afghan footballers out of Kabul

·

Australian referee, Joanna Charaktis, was sitting in lockdown in Melbourne when she saw over the news how the Taliban rapidly took control of Afghanistan after capturing its capital city, Kabul.

Speaking with the ABC’s Samantha Lewis, she says she instantly reached out to a Facebook friend from Afghanistan who was heavily involved in football and ended up helping her find a way out of the country.

Assistant referees Joanna Charaktis (right) and Danielle Andersen (second right) walk onto the pitch for a W-League game. Photo: Football Victoria.

“I spoke to my mentor, [referee] Allyson Flynn, and told her the story. She had just been included in a mentoring program with Women Onside and had been paired with [former Matilda] Moya Dodd,” she told ABC News.

“She [Flynn] reached out to Moya, who said to her, ‘There’s this whole rescue mission happening for the national football team, so maybe we can get these people on that list’.”

What happened next? Find out via ABC News.

Cretan Convention - Web Banner

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Step into the world of mental health with Georgia Cassimatis’ latest book

Greek Australian author and journalist, Georgia Cassimatis, has released a book all about exploring the world of mental health.

GOCNSW Welfare Service to put a spotlight on cyber security awareness

The Greek Orthodox Community of NSW’s (GOCNSW) Welfare Service has organised three Cyber Security Awareness education and training workshops.

Marriage of a Greek woman abroad: What to watch out for

It is during this registration process that numerous problems arise, which are not dealt with immediately but later on.

Athena Competition Greek winners show olive oil diversity

By Lisa Radinovsky from Greek Liquid Gold. At the 10th anniversary edition of the ATHENA International Olive Oil Competition in Chania, Crete, Greece in May, 175 Greek olive oils...

Greece’s island communities face population crisis

The demographic decline in Greece is hitting its islands hard, with Lemnos and Agios Efstratios showing alarming signs of aging populations.

You May Also Like

Top Seven Greek Athletes of 2021

From an NBA champion to a Greek Australian lightweight king, The Greek Herald has ranked the top seven Greek athletes of 2021!

Greek government submits bill to curb people’s right to protest

Greece’s centre-right government submitted a bill on Monday to impose tighter controls on public protests that frequently block traffic and turn violent.

SA student Chloe Tziavrangos aces the International Baccalaureate

The state's best International Baccalaureate (IB) students are celebrating year 12 success, with one from Greek heritage - Chloe Tziavrangos.