Once a fighter, always a fighter: Refugee wrestler Jamal Valizadeh's inspiring journey to the Olympic Games
There is a Persian proverb that aptly describes Jamal Valizadeh's incredible life story.
*“*We say that because the world is round, one day you can be at the lowest point, but the next day you can pass at the same point but you are literally on top of the world. It’s exactly like this for me in my life," the wrestler tells Olympics.com.
After fleeing his home country in search of a better life, the former youth champion in Greco-Roman wrestling had to start again from zero.
“It was very hard for me because I lost everything that I had. My family, my friends, education, wrestling,” he continued.
After making his way to Turkiye Valizadeh was forced to work 16-hour days for very little pay.
Feeling exploited but determined to improve his situation after six months of hard labour, he left to cross the Mediterranean Sea by boat in the middle of winter.
During the treacherous journey, the vessel he was in began to take on water, so he got off and swam the remaining few hundred metres to help the other travellers.
He arrived penniless in France in 2016 but was eventually granted refugee status a few months later and could start his life again.
Don't tell Valizadeh that anything is impossible.
Valizadeh had been fighting his whole life and was no stranger to hardship.
Growing up, he was the only male in his family of 34 cousins who did not practise wrestling.
Instead, he played handball, until one day he was finally convinced to give their family sport a go.
“Every night I started practising at home with them, and they showed me the technique, and how to attack. After that, the first day in the wrestling hall, I beat the regional champion.”
Handball quickly became a thing of the past for the newly-obsessed grappler.
Valizadeh’s progress was astonishing, and he was crowned national champion at 55kg for three consecutive years until 2013.
Making the IOC Refugee Team for Paris 2024
Valizadeh's wrestling technique, and the mental strength he gained from practising the sport, were to come in useful as a displaced individual.
In January 2023, after eight years out of the sport, he decided to pick it up again.
“That decision changed my life,” he said. “When I arrived in France, I didn't speak French and I didn't know anyone. I decided to find a wrestling club, and that helped me to learn French, and get back to a normal life.”
Valizadeh’s talent was spotted quickly, and his results spoke for themselves. In May 2024, he was selected for the IOC Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024.
He trained rigorously with the French national team for up to 13 sessions a week alongside his studies for a master's degree in computer science.
"I’m trying hard to make up for lost time as all the other wrestlers have been training for the past ten years!
*“*There are 100 million refugees in the world right now and we are a big family. It makes me happy to represent every one of them” - Jamal Valizadeh to Olympics.com
The past year has been a particularly emotional one for the Iranian-born athlete.
Returning to Istanbul and Belgrade to compete in major global tournaments made him reflect on how far he had come since he was last in those cities and struggling just to survive.
“One day I was there as a refugee, but now I'm going there to try and qualify for an Olympic Games. Going back was really hard for me as I was in such a dark place when I was last year. But I’m so proud of where I am now.”
Wrestling requires dedication, discipline, and the ability to endure.
Valizadeh believes these values are behind the sport's popularity in his homeland.
“It helps athletes to be stronger not only physically, but mentally,” he said.
“The most important thing it taught me is discipline. Anyone can be motivated at 100% from time to time, but then suddenly we don’t want to get out of bed. But that’s where being disciplined takes over.
“In this way, wrestling helped me to be a stronger person. It’s because of wrestling that I was able to get past all these problems and start again” - Jamal Valizadeh to Olympics.com
Valizadeh wants to become an Olympic champion but understands that ‘without adequate preparation, a podium finish is more realistic’.
But his mission in the French capital is about more than just personal glory.
Over 100 million displaced people in the world can relate to the hardship he has been through and can be inspired by his refusal to give in.
He believes with every fibre of his being that they too can find happiness again in a new land.
"My message to other refugees is to never lose hope. Just continue to follow your dreams because everything is possible,” he said.
"One day I was there with nothing, helpless. But just years later, I was fighting for a place at the Olympic Games. Everyone can achieve their dreams too.”