Draft:List of Iranian refugee and immigrant athletes
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Kimia Alizade | |
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After the Iranian Revolution in 1978, many athletes immigrated or took refuge in other countries.[1][2][3] The main reasons for these migrations were political, financial, social and sports management problems in Iran.[4][5][6]
Most of these athletes became citizens of other countries and participate in competitions representative of that country.[7][8][9] Some of them also compete representative of IOC and under the name of UN Refugee Agency.[10][11][12] And a smaller number which are considered legionnaires, simply migrated and still compete representative Iran.[13][14]
36 refugee athletes from 11 countries will compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics, 14 of them are Iranian.[15][16][17]
Here is a list of notable Iranian refugee and immigrant athletes and classified information about them.
Boxing[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sadaf Khadem | France | Residence | Refugee | 2014 | First Iranian female boxer | [18] |
Mahyar Monshipour | France | Citizen | Refugee | 1986 | World Boxing Association's super bantamweight champion for nearly three years between 2003 and 2006 | [19] |
Canoe sprint[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saeid Fazloula | Germany | Residence | Refugee | 2015 | Competed in the men's K-1 1000 metres event at the 2020 Summer Olympics | [20] |
Chess[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shohreh Bayat | United Kingdom | Residence | Refugee | 2020 | Was chief arbiter of the Women's World Chess Championship 2020 and awarded an International Women of Courage Award in 2020. | [21] |
Dorsa Derakhshani | United States | Residence | Refugee | 2017 | Was awarded the titles Woman Grandmaster and International Master in 2016. | [22] |
Alireza Firouzja | France | Residence | Refugee | 2021 | French chess grandmaster | [23] |
Ghazal Hakimifard | Switzerland | Residence | Refugee | 2020 | FIDE title of Woman Grandmaster | [24] |
Mitra Hejazipour | France | Residence | Refugee | 2021 | Holds the title of Woman Grandmaster | [25] |
Sarasadat Khademalsharieh | Spain | Residence | Refugee | 2023 | Holds the title of Woman Grandmaster | [26] |
Elshan Moradi | United States | Citizen | Refugee | 2016 | Chess grandmaster | [27] |
Kamran Shirazi | France | Citizen | Refugee | 2005 | Chess grandmaster | [28] |
Mehrshad Sharif | France | Citizen | Immigrant | Chess grandmaster | [29] |
Cycle[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mohammad Ganjkhanlou | United Kingdom | Residence | Refugee | 2023 | Former rides for UCI Continental team Mes Sungun–Azad | [30] |
Fencing[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mahsa Pourrahmati | Canada | Residence | Refugee | 2023 | Member of the Iranian national fencing team in Epe weapons and Islamic Solidarity Games champion | [31] |
Football[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ali Ghorbani | Azerbaijan | Citizen | Immigrant | 2024 | Member of the Iranian national fencing team in Epe weapons | [32] |
Ali Karimi | United States | Residence | Refugee | 2023 | Football coach and former professional footballer and Asian Footballer of the Year award winner | [33] |
Handball[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Iman Jamali | Hungary | Citizen | Refugee | 2012 | Player who plays for Al Safa and the Hungarian national team and former member of Iran national team | [34] |
Judo[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Javad Mahjoub | Canada | Residence | Refugee | 2014 | Was the 2013 Asian champion and current mixed martial artist | [35] |
Saeid Mollaei | Azerbaijan Mongolia Germany |
Citizen | Refugee | 2019 | 2020 Summer Olympics and multiple world champion, multiple times Asian and world champion | [36] |
Sam Rajabi | United States | Citizen | Refugee | 2011 | 2009 Asian Judo Champion | [37] |
Vahid Sarlak | Germany | Citizen | Refugee | 2009 | 2005 and 2019 World Judo Champion | [38] |
Karate[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hamoon Derafshipour | Canada | Residence | Refugee | 2019 | Qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics | [39] |
Hamideh Abbasali | Canada | Residence | Refugee | 2023 | Karate world and Asian champion | [40] |
Reza Goodary | Thailand | Residence | Immigrant | 2016 | Karate world champion and first Iranian fighter in the six disciplines of martial arts | [41] |
Kickboxing[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sina Karimian | Japan | Residence | Immigrant | 2019 | K-1 Kickboxing World Champion | [42] |
Bahram Rajabzadeh | Azerbaijan Germany |
Citizen | Immigrant | 2000 | Glory Kickboxing World Champion | [43] |
Mahmoud Sattari | Japan | Residence | Immigrant | 2020 | K-1 and Krush Kickboxing World Champion, Asian Beach Games and Indoor games champion | [42] |
MMA[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Makwan Amirkhani | Finland | Citizen | Immigrant | 1988 | Ultimate Fighting Championship athlete | [44] |
Beneil Dariush | United States | Citizen | Immigrant | 1998 | Ultimate Fighting Championship athlete | [45] |
Pannie Kianzad | Sweden | Citizen | Immigrant | 2000 | Ultimate Fighting Championship athlete | [46] |
Reza Madadi | Sweden | Citizen | Immigrant | 1990 | First Iranian contester in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. | [47] |
Gegard Mousasi | Germany | Citizen | Immigrant | 1989 | World champion of Bellator MMA athlete, participated in the 2012 Summer Olympics | [48] |
Muay Thai[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sajad Sattari | Thailand | Residence | Immigrant | 2019 | Only Iranian Rajadamnern Stadium and WBC Muay Thai world champion | [49] |
Mohammad Siasarani | Thailand | Residence | Immigrant | 2020 | Only Iranian WBC Muay Thai International champion | [50] |
Skiing[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Marjan Kalhor | France | Residence | Refugee | 2023 | First Iranian woman to participate in the Winter Olympic Games | [51] |
Pouria Saveh-Shemshaki | France | Residence | Refugee | 2023 | Competed for Iran at the 2010 Winter Olympics | [52] |
Sattar Seid | Norway | Residence | Refugee | 2021 | Competed for Iran at the 2010 Winter Olympics | [53] |
Swimming[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Matin Balsini | United Kingdom | Residence | Refugee | 2022 | Competed in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, Multiple times Asian and World champion | [54] |
Taekwondo[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kimia Alizadeh | Germany | Residence | Refugee | 2020 | First women Iranian Summer Olympic Games medalist | [55] |
Raheleh Asemani | Belgium | Citizen | Refugee | 2012 | Participated at the 2016 Summer Olympics | [56] |
Milad Beigi | Azerbaijan | Citizen | Refugee | 2016 | Won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics and multiple times world champion | [57] |
Parisa Farshidi | Germany | Citizen | Refugee | 2011 | 2010 Asian Champion | [58] |
Mehdi Khodabakhshi | Serbia | Citizen | Refugee | 2021 | Participant of the 2016 Rio Olympics, 2022 World Champion, 2014 Asian Games Champion | [59] |
Kasra Mehdipournejad | Germany | Residence | Refugee | 2017 | World and European Taekwondo Champion | [60] |
Dina Pouryounes | Netherlands | Citizen | Refugee | 2015 | Participated in the 2020 Summer Olympics | [61] |
Fatemeh Rouhani | Germany | Residence | Refugee | 2021 | Asian champion | [62] |
Weightlifting[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yekta Jamali | Germany | Residence | Refugee | 2022 | Bronze medal at the 2021 Junior World Championships, Multiple times Asian and national champion | [63] |
Wrestling[edit]
Name | Destination | Type | Status | Since | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sabah Shariati | Azerbaijan | Citizen | Immigrant | 2000 | Won bronze in the 2016 Summer Olympics, multiple times Asian and World champion | [64] |
Saman Tahmasebi | Azerbaijan | Citizen | Immigrant | 1999 | Participated in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics | [64] |
Navid Zanganeh | Canada | Residence | Refugee | 2020 | Won a silver medal at the 2019 U-23 Senior Asian Championships | [65] |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Olympics: Defying threats, Iranian athletes speak out to back ban". BBC. 2021-07-18. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ Azizi, Arash (2024-04-04). "Why has Iran's only female Olympian medalist defected to Bulgaria?". The National. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Freedom-flavoured silver medal for Iranian-born judoka competing for Mongolia". France 24. 2021-07-28. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ Riddell, Don (2021-07-01). "International Olympic Committee is coming under pressure over the alleged torture and arrest of Iranian athletes". CNN. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Mother converted to Christianity from Islam; 'Iran had problems' says Yavarivafa, IOC Refugee program shuttler". The Indian Express. 2023-07-02. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Iran: Weightlifter Mostafa Rajai banned for photo with Israeli". BBC. 2023-08-30. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Exiled Iranian Chess Grandmasters Go Head To Head Under Foreign Flags". Iran International. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Once Friends, Now Rivals: The Iranian Athletes Facing Off Under Different Flags at the 2020 Tokyo Games". TIME. 2021-07-23. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Iranian refugees fled to NI for their 'futures and freedom'". 2023-07-13. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Refugee athletes stride into global spotlight as Tokyo Games begin". UNHCR. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ Esfandiari, Golnaz. "Iranian Battles Iranian Refugee At The Tokyo Olympics". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Iranian refugee makes Olympic dream reality – DW – 06/05/2021". dw.com. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Alireza Jahanbakhsh is Netherlands Top Goalscorer". Financial Tribune. 2018-05-07. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ Kassam, Ashifa; correspondent, Ashifa Kassam European community affairs (2023-10-01). "'It was strange': Iranian chess players meet across board in exile". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "IOC unveils 36-athlete Refugee Team for Paris '24". ESPN.com. 2024-05-02. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
- ^ "Iranian Athletes Make Up Nearly Half of 2024 Refugee Olympic Squad". Iran International. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
- ^ "Refugee Olympic Team 2024: Which athletes are heading to Paris?". Yahoo News. 2024-05-02. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
- ^ "The boxer who fled Iran seeking the freedom to fight". BBC. 2023-02-12. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Dissidents call to ban Iran from Olympics for discriminating against women". Times of Israel. 2023-09-15.
- ^ "Refugee canoeist gets green light towards Olympics in Tokyo". InfoMigrants (in French). 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ Church, Ben (2023-01-12). "Iranian chess referee fears ostracism over her activism as she challenges Russian chief of game's governing body". CNN. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ Derakhshani, Dorsa (2017-12-29). "Opinion | Why I Left Iran to Play Chess in America". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ Barden, Leonard (2019-12-27). "Chess: Iran's Alireza Firouzja, 16, bypasses ban on playing Israelis". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Iran left without women chess GrandMasters after Sara Khadem's defection". The Indian Express. 2023-01-03. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Mitra Hejazipour, chess grandmaster: 'I started wearing the hijab when I was 5. I couldn't take it anymore'". Le Monde.fr. 2024-03-30. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ Kassam, Ashifa (2023-01-25). "'It just didn't feel right': top Iran chess player on why she removed headscarf". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Iranian-American Chess Master Urges Iran's Players to Quit National Federation". Voice of America. 2020-11-18. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "The Disastrous Impact of Ideology on Iranian Chess". IranWire. 2023-06-25.
- ^ "Iranian Chess Championship 2008". Chess News. 2008-03-30. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Iranian cyclist Ganjkhanlou disappears in Glasgow". Tehran Times. 2023-08-13. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Iran team sabre win gold in 2021 Solidarity Games". Tehran Times. 2022-08-17. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "By Parading a 'Refugee' Judoka, Sports Bosses Try to Entice Iranian Athletes Home". IranWire. 2021-12-02.
- ^ Moshtaghian, Artemis (2022-11-29). "Iranian soccer great alleges death threats made against him by the Iran government after supporting protesters". CNN. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Gros plan sur l'arrière gauche iranien de Veszprém. Jamali, le pionnier". www.dna.fr (in French). Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Iranian judo officials agree to end decades-long boycott of Israeli athletes". Times of Israel. 2019-05-12.
- ^ Church, Ben (2021-02-19). "Iranian judoka says he'll never forget the kindness of the Israeli team". CNN. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Iranian-Americans protest against Iran at Iowa wrestling world cup". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2022-12-12. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Iran protests: 'Athletes should be on the right side' – DW – 04/27/2023". dw.com. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Former Iranian refugee represents the United States as karate world champion". UNHCR US. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ Fassihi, Farnaz (2023-01-07). "Iran Executes 2 Men Arrested in Protests". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Reza Goodary, the first Iranian to fight for the WBC Muay Thai world title". Tehran Times. 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ a b "Attractive fight between 2 Iranian kickboxing stars in Japan". Mehr News Agency. 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "GLORY 87 Results & Highlights: Heavyweight tournament winner crowned". bloodyelbow.com. 2023-08-19. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Kurdish MMA fighter 'Mr Finland' crushes opponent". www.rudaw.net. 2015-06-21. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Dariush-Tsarukyan to headline UFC Austin card". ESPN.com. 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Pannie Kianzad: From Worrier To Warrior | UFC". www.ufc.com. 2024-03-14. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "MMA star Reza Madadi: Break the taboo of Iranians fighting Israelis". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2019-10-10. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ Davies, Gareth A. (2017-10-19). "Gegard Mousasi: from exodus in Iran to a life as one of the world's great road warriors". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ Special program: conversation with Sajad Sattari, the only Iranian with the most prestigious Muay Thai title (in Persian). 2023-05-20. Retrieved 2024-05-01 – via Voice of America.
- ^ "Undefeated Iranian fighter Mohammed Siasarani to face big Thai star at ONE Friday Fights 34 - Sport360 News". sport360.com. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Social media fight spreads in Iran as women seek to regain international travel rights". ABC News. 2021-02-27. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "SAVEH SHEMSHAKI Porya - Athlete Information". www.fis-ski.com. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Two Iranian National Team Athletes Seek Asylum In Australia, Norway". Iran International. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Five recruits for the refugee team". Francs Jeux. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Kimia Alizadeh: Iran's only female Olympic medallist defects". BBC. 2020-01-12. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Why Iranian athletes turn their backs on Tehran – DW – 01/23/2020". dw.com. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ Phipps, Claire; Ames, Nick; Miller, Nick; Burnton, Simon; Echegaray, Luis Miguel; Hill, Tim; Parkin, Richard (2016-08-20). "Rio 2016 Olympics: Usain Bolt clinches ninth Olympic gold as Jamaica win relay – as it happened". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "'Elnaz Rekabi is a hero' – taekwondo fighter Parisa Farshidi – DW – 10/24/2022". dw.com. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ Association, Press (2015-05-18). "Silver for Britain's Damon Sansum after win over Aaron Cook of Moldova". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Kasra Mehdipournejad". The Players' Tribune. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Iranian refugee taekwondo fighter Dina Poriones loses her first match at Tokyo Olympics". Iran International. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "Iranian women taekwondo team to compete at world championships". Tehran Times. 2015-05-10. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "The fight for a stolen childhood dream – DW – 05/25/2022". dw.com. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ a b "By Parading a 'Refugee' Judoka, Sports Bosses Try to Entice Iranian Athletes Home". IranWire. 2021-12-02.
- ^ "The Journey Of Navid Zanganeh | UFC FIGHT PASS | UFC". www.ufc.com. 2022-07-04. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
External links[edit]