Refugee judoka Adnan Khankan on competing at Paris 2024: I’m already a winner
No matter what happens at Paris 2024, Adnan Khankan is a winner.
The judoka, who will make his Olympic debut in France, believes just walking out to compete will show that he has succeeded.
“Every athlete who does competitive sport wants to take part in the Games one day, [and] I just want to enjoy it,” he exclusively told Olympics.com.
“I want to enjoy every second of it because after my situation, my journey, everything I have suffered in my life… I am a winner right now.
Khankan's journey includes fleeing his war-torn homeland, Syria, leaving everything he knew and loved behind, including his sport.
Now, he will represent millions of displaced people as a member of the IOC Refugee Team in Paris.
For the 30-year-old, it is the chance to make his childhood dream of competing at the Olympic Games come true.
“[Being selected for the Olympics] was one of the best and most beautiful moments in my life. I will never forget it.”
Adnan Khankan: Judo is a very special sport
Ever since he was 10, Khankan has loved judo.
Introduced to it by his father’s friend, the values engrained within the sport resonate deeply with him.
“Judo is a very special sport that comes from Japan and has a lot of values in it,” he began.
“I must always have respect, be courageous and self-confident – I’ve always liked things like that.
“I always noticed [I was] different to others at a young age, I have discipline and I always have a goal to achieve, to think about what the future holds.”
His commitment to the sport and to planning out his future is exactly why it was so difficult for him to begin a new life elsewhere.
Paris isn’t where his plan ends, though.
“Depending on my result, I would like to train a little harder until LA 2028 and continue to train hard, take part again and get better results.”
That isn’t his only aim – he also wants to help remove the stigma that comes with being a refugee.
“I would like to - in Germany or Europe in general - change the refugee stereotype,” he adds.
“Through sport and judo, I want to help people who have problems here, for example, someone like me or others who are on the street or seeking asylum.
“There is always a way to help.”
How Rio 2016 gave Adnan Khankan hope
It was 2015 when Adnan made the difficult decision to leave his home in Damascus in search of refuge.
“I always tried not to leave my country because it’s a very difficult situation, you lose your family, your girlfriend, your dream,” he told us.
“During this time, I had no idea what might happen but luckily we arrived in Germany in October.
“I said: ‘Okay, my journey is over. I’m in a safe place. But what am I doing here now?’ - that was even worse than the journey.”
But, as if fate would have it, the Olympics would help provide him with the answer.
On the TV, Adnan watched as the opening ceremony of Rio 2016 unfolded.
“I knew people who were on the Olympic Refugee Team back then. I met them and I know them,” he said.
“They were in our sports centre. I cried - you can ask my wife - I cried non-stop because, without this situation [fleeing war], I would probably have had the chance to be in Rio.”
From that moment, his path was clear.
He trained, proved his athleticism, was awarded an IOC Refugee Athlete Scholarship for the first time in 2022, and was selected for the IOC Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024, the chance to fulfil his childhood dream.