Olympic Games Paris 2024

Omid Ahmadisafa: The kickboxing world champion representing the Refugee Olympic Team in boxing at Paris 2024

By Michael Hincks
5 min|
Former kickboxing world champion Omid Ahmadisafa will box for the Refugee Olympic Team at Paris 2024

Picture by www.kolbert-press.de

As a world champion in a different sport, Omid Ahmadisafa is not afraid to aim high when he boxes for the Refugee Olympic Team at Paris 2024.

“I want a medal,” the 31-year-old tells Olympics.com. “I've seen everything, only an Olympic medal is left.”

Initially for Ahmadisafa when growing up in the Islamic Republic of Iran, kickboxing proved a useful outlet for his energy during difficult times as a teenager.

“I started kickboxing when I was 16 years old,” he says. “I used to fight a lot, brawl. They told me to stop fighting so much and took me to training.

"During training, I saw people hitting each other, it was great. They hit each other, they get paid, they're shown on TV, and their photos are everywhere. I said, 'Okay, I'm here too.'"

How Omid Ahmadisafa settled on boxing over kickboxing

Ahmadisafa was evidently a natural at kickboxing and, while representing Iran, won gold at the 2015 Asian Championships. He was then crowned world champion two years later.

By that point, he was already boxing as well, having been invited to train in Tehran with the Iranian national team after injury prevented him from being allowed to kick for five months.

He progressed in Olympic-style boxing so much that he represented Iran at the Asian qualifier for Tokyo 2020, held in Jordan in March 2020, where he was beaten in the quarter-finals by reigning Olympic champion Shakhobidin Zoirov.

Seven months later, when competing in a tournament in Italy, Ahmadisafa left his hotel and sought asylum in Germany. In his new home, he was invited to train with the German national boxing team in Cologne.

Ahmadisafa impressed, forcing him to focus more intensely on boxing, and in August 2023 he was among 10 new athletes awarded a Refugee Athlete Scholarship.

The Olympic dream moved closer, and then came the tears when he was confirmed on the Boxing Refugee Team’s squad for Paris 2024 in May.

“I cried,” he says. “I was very surprised [not to qualify for Tokyo 2020]. I did very well. God didn't want it there, it didn't happen.

“During Covid, while the selections were being made, Carlo Paalam and I were both sixth place, we were in the same position (editor note - Paalam was higher in the Road to Tokyo rankings). They chose him. They said, 'You go to Tokyo,' and he went and won a silver medal. This stayed in my heart. I wanted to go to the Olympics very, very, very much.

"This time when I heard my name for Paris, I was very emotional. I cried. God willing, I hope to win a medal. Let's see what happens."

Omid Ahmadisafa hopes sacrifices pay off in Paris

Ahmadisafa is more than grateful for his pathway to Paris, where he will compete in the 51kg weight class.

“The Refugee Team came and showed us a way,” he adds. “Whoever says ‘It can't be done’ is lying. It can be done. You just have to want it. I came to Germany. Everyone told me, ‘It can't be done. You're old, you are 30 years old. it will take years for them to recognise you.'

"But no, I wanted it. They need to want it too. If they want it, it will happen. But if they don't want it and just lie around at home, it won't happen.

“Even in quarantine, I would train. They called me crazy and laughed. But I saw the results. I am very happy with the Refugee Team. They showed us a way. They gave me my dreams. I thank them for that."

Like every athlete set to compete in Paris, the effort of making the Olympics Games has meant difficult choices along the way.

“My mind is troubled,” Ahmadisafa says. “All my friends go to parties and such, but I don't. My entire focus is on training and tournaments. Sports give you everything, and that's why it also takes a lot from you.

“I've been married for eight years, but my wife sees me once a week. These are the downsides. If someone wins a gold medal and cries, they cry because of all these things they've gone through. Or if they come in second or third, they cry thinking about these things.

“They don't see their mother, father, or siblings at all. Just training, training, training. My sister's kid came here. I never saw them because I was at training. These are the sacrifices."

Ahmadisafa hopes such sacrifices lead to a podium place at Paris 2024 and, having already competed against Olympians, he believes he is ready to fight for medals on the biggest stage of all.

“I want to be a great figure,” he adds. “I want this for the other refugees too. I hope they also become great figures. Their parents can proudly say, ‘This is my child, they became a champion.’”

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