Zakia Khodadadi, a para-taekwondo athlete from Afghanistan and a member of the refugee team, has won a bronze medal at the Paris Paralympics. The official Facebook page of the Paralympic Games described her achievement as “historic” alongside a photo of Zakia.
Today (Thursday, September 8), Khodadadi competed against opponents from Cuba, Uzbekistan, and Turkey in the Paris Paralympic events. The Paralympic page reported that Zakia defeated her Cuban opponent with a score of 21 to 11, lost to her Uzbek rival 4 to 3, and overcame her Turkish opponent with a score of 1 to 9, securing her place in the bronze medal final.
It is noteworthy that Zakia was set to face an opponent from Morocco for the bronze medal; however, her competitor withdrew due to injury, allowing her to claim her first Paralympic bronze medal.
This is not only her first medal at the Paralympics but also the first medal for the refugee team.
Zakia Khodadadi moved to France after the current regime took control in Afghanistan and is now residing there. In 2023, she became the European champion in para-taekwondo.
While Zakia Khodadadi celebrates her bronze medal win, sports for women and girls in Afghanistan have been banned, and women face severe restrictions.
Additionally, the current government’s limitations have left millions of schoolgirls without access to education.
Women are also prohibited from going to sports clubs, restaurants, public baths, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working in domestic and international non-governmental organizations, as well as at UN offices in Afghanistan.
