In dialogue with Sigue La W, Aram Mahmoud, a member of the Olympic Team of Refugee Athletes of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in the sport of badminton, commented in Sigue La W that, before practicing the sport for which he represents thousands of refugees around the world, “I played gymnastics with my sister”, but realized that “it was not so good”. He found his sport because “I saw a game of badminton once and I liked it. I told my father that I wanted to give it a try. From the beginning I was very good. I started playing local tournaments and won some. At that moment I said that this is the sport I want to play.
Mahmoud is a 24-year-old Syrian who practices badminton. He fled Syria in 2015 due to the civil war in the country governed by Bashar Al-Asad, supported by Russia. It is a conflict that also includes the participation of the United States, of Syrian rebel groups that want Al-Assad’s resignation, as well as, at the time, terrorist groups such as ISIS.
The member of the Olympic Team of Refugee Athletes, indicated, in turn, that “It was always a dream for me and for any athlete to be in the Olympics, but it is very difficult to achieve. It is great to have the opportunity to represent refugees around the world. It is an honor to be here ”.
“The whole situation in my country (Syria) that everyone knows and the difficulties to live” made Mahmoud leave his country. “Luckily, I found the Netherlands. It is a second home to me. I know I am there as a refugee, but the hospitality I have received has been immense. Many people have helped me. I feel at home”.
It should be remembered that the Syrian war turned a decade this year. The internal conflict has claimed nearly 400,000 lives, 22,000 of which belonged to boys and girls. There are 11 million Syrians who depend on humanitarian aid, since they live in poverty, and 6.7 million internally displaced.
Before these Olympics, “my expectations were that I wanted to compete and give people a good image of myself and my level”Said Mahmoud, a member of the Refugee Athletes Olympic Team. “The first game did not turn out as I wanted, but in the second I played better. Unfortunately I lost both, but I think I can improve, I have to work more ”.
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In the future, Aram Mahmoud wants to “continue studying, continue playing tournaments, increase my world ranking” to reach “to the top 100 this year and then to the top 30. I know it will take a lot of hard work. I hope I can do it”.
In a message to the people he represents, Mahmoud noted that “I am doing my best to let others see that if they have a dream and want to achieve it, they can do it. They must work hard and wait for the opportunity. Have fun with everything you do and thus each time you will achieve more and more. I hope everyone can achieve their dreams at some point”.
For her part, Sibylla Brodzinsky, regional spokesperson for UNHCR, said that “It was created for the Rio games and basically because in the world’s refugees there are teachers, athletes, there is everything. So they cannot participate in these events as part of their countries ”.
