18/08/2025

Local lawyer, Catherine Ordway, who was instrumental in bringing the Afghan women’s cricket team to Australia so that they could continue to play sport received the inaugural ACT Australian Lawyers Alliance’s (ALA) Civil Justice Award at the organisation’s conference in Canberra on Friday.

“Catherine is a true champion for human rights and a deserving recipient of our inaugural Civil Justice Award,” said Hassan Ehsan, ACT President, Australian Lawyers Alliance.

For more than 20 years, Catherine has championed women in sport nationally and internationally—as a sports lawyer, administrator, anti-doping and integrity expert, board member, media commentator, and university educator.

“While this alone is an extraordinary contribution, this award particularly recognises Catherine’s efforts over the past four years to bring the Afghan women’s cricket team to Australia and enable them to continue playing the sport they love,” said Hassan.

In August 2021, when the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan and banned women’s sport, female athletes were threatened and warned of severe repercussions if they continued to play. In response, Catherine led a team of lawyers, sports administrators, and politicians to guide the women—and importantly, their families—through Taliban checkpoints to Pakistan, and eventually to safety here in Australia.

In total, Catherine helped evacuate more than 100 people: the cricketers, their support staff, and their families. But her work did not stop there. She played a vital role in helping them adjust to life in Australia and supported them as they rebuilt their lives and returned to the game. This was far more than simply getting people on a plane—it became a 24/7 commitment to helping families settle in a new country.

Just this January, three and a half years after the evacuation, the team proudly walked onto the field at Junction Oval in Melbourne to play their first match as the Afghanistan Women’s XI, beginning an inspiring new chapter.

“Catherine’s dedication has changed lives and will leave a lasting legacy for years to come,” said Hassan. “Many of us enter the legal profession with lofty ambitions, hoping to make a difference.

“Catherine is someone who reminds us what is possible. She saw an urgent need and used her legal skills, her networks, and her determination to solve it. She is an inspiration to us all and makes us proud to be part of the legal profession.”