NAGOYA, Japan: For Syrian refugees Mahmoud Jasem Muhammad and Tala Hasan Hunaidi, competing at the Asian Games represents far more than a sporting opportunity, it is a chance to turn years of displacement and hardship into a story of hope and achievement.
The two taekwondo athletes, who lived in Jordan’s Azraq refugee camp after fleeing war in Syria, are making history as members of the first dedicated refugee team fielded by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) at its flagship event.
Meet Tala Al-Hunaidi and Mahmoud Al Hussein.
They’re Syrian refugees living in Jordan and they’re about to make history.
They will become members of the first-ever Refugee Team to compete at an Asian Games. #AichiNagoya2026 pic.twitter.com/eVBvztmyhO
— UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) September 19, 2026
Muhammad, 24, will compete in the men’s under-80kg kyorugi competition, while 18-year-old Hunaidi will represent the refugee team in taekwondo.
‘We did not leave our country by choice’
Muhammad said competing at the Asian Games carried a deeper meaning because of the circumstances that forced him and his fellow Syrians to leave their homeland.
“Being here today isn’t just about competing in another tournament,” Muhammad told reporters on Monday.
Read Also: Typhoon Threatens Asian Games in Japan After Record Rainfall
“I’m carrying a story with me, a story that, God willing, will become a success story. I carry that story with me into every fight.”
He said the athletes had been forced to leave Syria because of difficult living conditions and war and had moved to another country in search of a new life.
Muhammad added that he was not in Japan merely to participate, saying the team had undergone intense preparations and hoped to achieve something at the Games.
#アジア競技大会 #愛知名古屋2026 🏟️アジア難民選手団の歓迎式典が開催。
「私たちにとって、ただの大会ではありません。まさに夢の舞台です」
シリア出身、ヨルダンのアズラック難民キャンプでトレーニングを積んできた、テコンドーのタラ選手とマフムード選手は話します。
明日はいよいよ開会式！ pic.twitter.com/ds6ndL0bCR
— UNHCR駐日事務所 (@UNHCR_Tokyo) September 18, 2026
Hunaidi says sport restored her hope
Hunaidi thanked the International Olympic Committee, the OCA and World Taekwondo for helping her realise her dream of competing at a major international sporting event.
“Sport has changed me for the better. I’ve become a different person. I have hope now, and I have dreams and ambitions for the future,” she said.
The teenager said her experience had shown her a different side of life and taught her that difficult circumstances could be overcome with time and determination.
“We’ve learned that nothing is impossible. Things can be difficult sometimes, but with time, you can overcome them and move forward,” Hunaidi said.
A moment that makes history. 👏🏻
For the first time, an OCA Refugee Team is taking part in the Asian Games.
Meet the athletes carrying their dreams onto the biggest stage in Asia, Mahmoud Al Jasem Al Mohammad Al Hussein & Talah Al Hassan Al Hinide. pic.twitter.com/obTIyMGBtM
— Olympic Council of Asia (@AsianGamesOCA) September 19, 2026
Refugee pair welcomed into Asian Games community
Shiva Kesavan, vice chair of the OCA Athletes’ Committee, described Muhammad and Hunaidi as role models and said they had been integrated into the wider Asian Games community.
Kesavan acknowledged that stepping directly into an event featuring Asia’s leading athletes could be overwhelming for the pair, but said their participation was about more than competition.
Read Also: How Sri Lanka Can Defeat India to Win Asian Games Cricket Gold
He encouraged the athletes to put aside pressure, enjoy the experience and express themselves through their sport, saying their presence at the Asian Games had already made them role models.
