After the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, thousands of people were evacuated to Europe. Paralympic wheelchair basketball player Nilofar Bayat and her husband are now living in the Spanish city of Bilbao - making a fresh start on the court.

After the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, thousands have been evacuated to Europe. Paralympic wheelchair basketball player Nilofar Bayat and her husband are now living in the Spanish city of Bilbao – making a fresh start on the court.

Judoka Marie Dinkel experienced sexual abuse in her sport and unfortunately her story is not unique. There are over 200,000 cases in Germany a year. As a teenager, she was abused by her Judo coach for months and it didn't stop until she told her parents. Now she has made it her goal to help those affected and give them courage to come forward.

In China, all eyes are on the ongoing Winter Olympics. Although the Games have come under scrutiny for a number of reasons beyond sport, they are also the culmination of an impressive campaign to convert more than 300 million people into winter sport aficionados. Our correspondents report. We also speak to Susan Brownell, a professor of anthropology at the University of Missouri–Saint Louis.

The Spanish tennis player said he was happy to contribute to develop an educational program involving sports and health.

Soccer, environmental education and planting trees: an environmental activist in Nigeria is teaching young sports enthusiasts how to mitigate the impact of climate change in their communities.

Water sports aren't popular in Niger, due to a lack of facilities. But the Niger River has become the new hot spot for water sports enthusiasts. Be it swimming or dugout races — young people love the competition.

We look at the political headache that awaits French President Emmanuel Macron after the disastrous parliamentary election results for his centrist bloc. Some papers warn that he may need to seek support for each individual bill. Also, after global swimming, rugby league authorities provisionally ban transgender female athletes amid claims that they possess physical advantages. Finally, a Spanish local council is now imposing fines for urinating in the sea!

Sports coach and aspiring model Patience Ramavhale battled depression and anxiety throughout a troubled childhood. But her love of sports and passion for coaching not only developed her young athletes, but also helped Patience improve her mental health. Don’t Hold Back’s Nozibele Qamngana Mayaba catches up with Patience over the customary snack on how using sports can improve your mental health.

Following the arrest of a former international player, more Iranian athletes are criticizing the government's brutal actions toward protesters. Ex-Bayern Munich player Ali Karimi has become a figurehead in the protests.

Without doubt football (that is, soccer) is the most popular sport in Africa. Indeed, football is probably the most popular sport in every African country, although rugby and cricket are also very popular in South Africa.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Friday.⁣