Zakia Khodadadi, a para taekwondo athlete from Afghanistan residing in France, has become the champion of the European Para Taekwondo Championships 2026 for the second time and has won the gold medal in these competitions.
Ms. Khodadadi announced on her Instagram account that she secured first place in the European Championship by defeating opponents from Italy, Georgia, and Turkey.
In this tournament, Zakia Khodadadi participated in the under 47 kg weight category and became the champion by overcoming her Turkish opponent in the final match.
The “Euro Taekwondo 2026 Munich” competitions started on May 11 in Munich, Germany, and concluded on May 14.
It is noteworthy that Zakia Khodadadi also won a bronze medal at the Rio Open G2 2025 para taekwondo competition in Brazil last spring.
Ms. Khodadadi is the first female athlete from Afghanistan to participate in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, earning the title of “brave woman” in this sporting event.
Before winning the gold medal at the European Para Taekwondo Championships, she had previously won a bronze medal at the 2022 World Grand Prix, a silver medal at an international competition in Albania, and a bronze medal at the Para Taekwondo competition in Egypt in 2016.
It should be noted that Zakia Khodadadi was awarded the Emerging Leadership category of the International Paralympic Committee’s International Women’s Day Award 2025 for her advocacy of women’s rights in Afghanistan, particularly the right to education and sports for girls.
While Zakia Khodadadi becomes a champion in this period, women and girls in Afghanistan are deprived of participating in sports activities. Since the current government came to power, extensive restrictions have been imposed on women’s presence in public spheres, including sports.
According to reports from international organizations, women in Afghanistan are not allowed to attend clubs,، participate in sports competitions, or engage in formal training. These restrictions have led many female athletes to stop their activities or leave the country to continue their pursuits.
