First Afghan woman to compete internationally after Taliban takeover now goes for gold in Paris

(6 Aug 2024)
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Paris - 5 August 2024
1. Various of Afghan refugee and paralympic taekwondoist Zakia Khudadadi during practice at Bois de Vincennes park
2. SOUNDBITE (French) Zakia Khudadadi, Afghan refugee and taekwondo Paralympian:
"August 15 is a black day for all the women and girls of Afghanistan because the Taliban took over my country and I was in Kabul preparing for the Tokyo Paralympics. In a day, the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan changed forever and for me it was really hard to make it to Tokyo."
3. Various of Khudadadi training
4. SOUNDBITE (French) Zakia Khudadadi, Afghan refugee and taekwondo Paralympian:
"It was very painful. I left my country on August 17 and I left my whole life in Afghanistan. But still, I am really really proud and strong because I'm still pushing hard for my sport, my family, for all the girls in Afghanistan and for the million of refugees today."
5. Various of Khudadadi training
6. SOUNDBITE (French) Zakia Khudadadi, Afghan refugee and taekwondo Paralympian:
"You always have to stand behind a man, because there is no gender equality in Afghanistan. It was really hard in Afghanistan but I became the first disabled woman in my country to win the first international medal in 2016. After, I continued practicing my sport so that people, and more women, can see what I do and engage in and practice sports."
7. Various of Khudadadi during portrait session
8. SOUNDBITE (French) Zakia Khudadadi, Afghan refugee and taekwondo Paralympian:
"When I fight with others in a competition, I think a lot beforehand. (I tell myself) 'Okay Zakia, so you come from a difficult country, you come from a country where today life is very very hard. You're here to win the medal. You cannot give up until the end of the competition, for the medal.' I show all the strength to the girls and women in my country."
9. Various of Khudadadi during portrait session
STORYLINE:
Zakia Khudadadi has spent most of her life breaking through glass ceilings.

The taekwondo Paralympian made history in 2021 in Tokyo, becoming the first Afghan woman to compete in an international sporting event since the Taliban took over her country in August the same year.

Originally blocked from competing following the rise of the Taliban, she was later evacuated from Afghanistan and allowed to compete for her country following a plea for international community.

In the Paris 2024 Paralympics, Khudadadi said she is competing in the name of women of her country that have gradually been stripped of basic human rights over the past three years.

Competing for the Refugee Team, she began taekwondo at the age of 11, training in secret at a gym in her city of Herat because there were simply no other opportunities for women to safely practice sports.

Despite a closed culture around her, Khudadadi said her family was open and would push her to be active, something that would help raise her to greatness.

Compounding that in Afghanistan, she said, was also her disability.

Despite having "one of the largest populations per capita of persons with disabilities in the world" due to ongoing conflict, people with disabilities are often shunned and blocked from society, according to Human Rights Watch. Women are often disproportionately affected.

Born without one forearm, Khudadadi said she spent her entire life hiding her arm. It was only when she started competing that it began to change.





She was evacuated to Tokyo, leaving behind her family.







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