Kabul - First Vice President General Abdul Rasheed Dostum visited the taekwondo protest in Zarnegar Park of Kabul on Thursday, promising the demonstrators, who have been in the park for over a month, that their grievances would be addressed as soon as possible.

"We will solve this issue no matter what," Dostum told the protestors, who numbered at least 500 on Thursday. "We are ready and I would like to repeat that we are responsible, and we will definitely resolve this issue."

The protest began about a month ago when members of the National Olympic Taekwondo Team resigned their positions and demanded redress for what they said was corruption on the part of the National Olympic Committee. They claimed members of the committee, particularly its president, Fahim Hasimi, were involved in embezzling money, stealing earnings from athletes and forging signatures in order to do so.

The Coach of the National Taekwondo Team, Bashir Tarakai, who has helped the team earn numerous Olympic medals, said that the fundamental demand of the protestors was that the Olympic Committee be reprimanded and prevented from any further illegal activity.

"We want to say that the illegal meddling of Mr. Hashimi has badly damaged the national team, therefore, the president should put pressure on Hashimi," Coach Tarakai said. "It should have been proved to the president that this guy is lawbreaker who disregards the laws."

National Taekwondo Team member Mahmoud Haidari called for prosecutions against those involved in the corruption. "We want to stress the point that those who were involved in corruption, in a real sense, were thieves; they committed an act of aggression against the Afghan people and embezzled million of Afs from the national treasury," he said. "Therefore, they must be brought for prosecution and Hashimi should allow the Afghanistan Taekwondo Federation to continue its activities."

The Taekwondo Federation has taken the side of the athletes over the corruption issue, positioning itself in explicit opposition to the Olympic Committee. "Many days have been passed since the strike began and Mr. Hashimi still persists in his selfishness," Taekwondo Federation chief Najib Sikander said on Thursday. "Now you judge the issue, what can we do, the government must abide by its decision regarding the matter and implement it."

The demonstration group, which has grown dramatically in size since it began back in February, includes former Olympians as well as normal athletes who have come out in solidarity. "We gathered here to announce our support to the athletes who are on strike and will continue supporting them until the last drop of our blood," one demonstrator in Zarnigar Park told TOLOnews.

Lawmakers have also joined the demonstration. "Unfortunately, it is always personal relations that have the final word," MP Shukria Barakzai said. "Our elders and the decision makers should allow all associated in any field to serve the people."

Meanwhile, members of the Olympic Committee have rejected the allegations and maintained their innocence. They have said the grievances of the athletes should go throw convention channels, such as the special committee appointed for the settlement of athletes' issues and a delegation from the International Taekwondo Federation.

"A delegation from the International Taekwondo Federation and the complaints commission, which was appointed by the president for the settlement of athletes' problems, should intervene in the issue and express their views regarding the matter," Olympic Committee representative Rafi Ferdows said. "The National Olympic Committee is always there to offer support to all federations after these two bodies announce their verdict." (Tolo News)