Taekwondo Refugee athlete's dream come true. EOC

Five Taekwondo athletes were named by International Olympic Committee (IOC) to take part at the Paris 2024. With five athletes, Taekwondo is the third most represented sport in the team. The addition of five refugee athletes will result in the largest number of Taekwondo athletes ever at an Olympic Games with more than 130 due to compete in Paris.

Yahya Al Ghotany (M-68kg) is based in the Azraq Refugee Camp, he fled Syria and started Taekwondo when he joined the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) programme. Farzad Mansouri (M-80kg) left Afghanistan and competes in Great Britain with the national team. Kasra Mehdipournejad (M+80kg) fled Iran and now lives and trains in Germany. Dina Pouryounes Langeroudi (W-49kg) fled Iran in 2015 and now trains in The Netherlands. She competed for the Refugee Olympic Team at Tokyo 2020.


Dina Pouryounes Langeroudi (red) participated at the Tokyo 2020 as a refugee athlete. GETTY IMAGES
Dina Pouryounes Langeroudi (red) participated at the Tokyo 2020 as a refugee athlete. GETTY IMAGES

Hadi Tiranvalipour (M-58kg)  was forced to leave Iran in 2022 and became a refugee in Italy where he trains with the national Italian Taekwondo team in Rome.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mehdipournejad said, "I am so happy, thank you for this amazing opportunity. I could not be in the Tokyo Olympics but now my Olympic dream is coming true and I will do my best in the Paris Olympics. But without the support of the IOC it would not be possible. I appreciate it and see you all in Paris!"

World Taekwondo President, Chair of the THF and Olympic Refuge Foundation Board member Chungwon Choue said that they are extremely proud of the Taekwondo refugee athletes who have been selected for the Refugee Olympic Team Paris 2024 as well as all those athletes who will not be in Paris but continue to inspire every day. "At World Taekwondo we believe strongly in empowering refugees through sport. The Refugee Olympic Team will not only inspire with their incredible sporting talent at Paris 2024 but will also build awareness of the global refugee crisis," concluded Choue.

Refugee athletes who will participate at the Paris 2024. WT
Refugee athletes who will participate at the Paris 2024. WT

Besides these 5 athletes, Ali Reza Abbasi who has previously represented Afghanistan, won an Olympic berth in the men's 68 kg category at the Asian Qualifiers. Kimia Alizadeh won Olympic berth in the women's 57 kg category  as a refugee athlete through the European Qualifiers, but later she received Bulgarian nationality and will represent Bulgaria at the Paris 2024.