Pulling Goat In Buzkashi: the Controversial National Sport of Afghanistan episode artwork

EPISODE · Nov 3, 2025 · 24 MIN

Pulling Goat In Buzkashi: the Controversial National Sport of Afghanistan

from Sportly · host Immigrantly Media

In this episode of Sportly, host Kavitha Davidson takes you into the world of Buzkashi, beyond the dust and spectacle to uncover how a game played with a headless goat became a symbol of Afghan pride, politics, and power. From its rumored roots in Genghis Khan’s army to its modern-day revival under Taliban rule, Buzkashi mirrors Afghanistan itself, proud, complex, and deeply resilient. Discover how elite riders rise from poverty to fame, why warlords and politicians have long used the sport to cement control, and what ethical questions continue to divide fans and critics alike. Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Script Writer: Emmanuelle Monahan I Producer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Fact Checking and Research: Irene Bantigue I Paroma Chakravarty I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please share the love and leave us a review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to help more people find us!  Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts.  You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly  Sportly IG @sportlypod Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Sportly, host Kavitha Davidson takes you into the world of Buzkashi, beyond the dust and spectacle to uncover how a game played with a headless goat became a symbol of Afghan pride, politics, and power. From its rumored roots in Genghis Khan’s army to its modern-day revival under Taliban rule, Buzkashi mirrors Afghanistan itself, proud, complex, and deeply resilient. Discover how elite riders rise from poverty to fame, why warlords and politicians have long used the sport to cement control, and what ethical questions continue to divide fans and critics alike. Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Script Writer: Emmanuelle Monahan I Producer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Fact Checking and Research: Irene Bantigue I Paroma Chakravarty I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please share the love and leave us a review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to help more people find us!  Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts.  You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly  Sportly IG @sportlypod Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Pulling Goat In Buzkashi: the Controversial National Sport of Afghanistan

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This episode was published on November 3, 2025.

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In this episode of Sportly, host Kavitha Davidson takes you into the world of Buzkashi, beyond the dust and spectacle to uncover how a game played with a headless goat became a symbol of Afghan pride, politics, and power. From its rumored roots in...

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