Taekwondo gives hope to first Asian refugee team
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Mahmoud Jasem Muhammad, age 24, and Tala Hasan Hunaidi, age 18, became the first members of the Asian Refugee Team to compete at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in taekwondo. Both athletes are from Syria and had been living in the Azraq refugee camp in Jordan, where they pursued their dream of competing in the games.
The Asian Olympic Council created the team, and the two athletes competed in the 80kg men’s and 49kg women’s categories.
The World Taekwondo Federation established the nonprofit Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation in 2016 to provide taekwondo education in refugee camps around the world. The Azraq camp received support from the THF, allowing many young refugees to learn taekwondo, and ultimately helping Muhammad and Hunaidi become professional athletes. Muhammad told Reuters he wasn’t simply attending the games as a participant, but to share his story of escaping war and hardship.
Shiba Kesavan, a deputy chair of the OCA Athletes’ Committee, encouraged the team to enjoy the experience and noted they already serve as role models.
