Tim Dirven

Buzkashi is Afghanistan's national sport. Literally translated as "goat grabbing", it is played by two teams of men on horseback. They battle for control of a headless goat's carcass, with the objective of getting the carcass to a scoring circle. The game is said to date from the days of Genghis Khan, and remained popular despite being declared un-Islamic by the Taliban. To many Afghans, Buzkashi is not just a game, it is a way of life. Here, a player is urged on by the crowd before the game. The most masterful players, called chapandaz, have undergone years of rigorous training.