Iranian competitor Nahid Kiyani Chandeh.
N. Kiyani Chandeh Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
Alizadeh arrived at the Makuhari Messe Event Hall looking like a thousand other athletes did before their respective competitions.
The speakers started playing “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC. She made a fist-pumping motion with her hand. Even if there was a match, it was still unclear how good it would be. There was a strong chance that Iran would pressure Chandeh to withdraw.
For all Intents and Purposes,
The Iranian government does not see the Olympics as a level playing field where the best athletes in the world can compete without fear of political reprisal.
Arash Miresmaeili, an Iranian judo standout, travelled to Athens in 2004 hoping to win a gold medal. Instead, he was drawn to compete against Israel’s Ehud Vaks.
The Islamic Republic of Iran does not allow its athletes to compete against Israelis since it does not accept Israel’s right to exist. Miresmaeili dropped out of the Olympics, citing his weight as the reason. Right now he’s the head of the Judo organisation in Iran.
The Iranians Allowed Chandeh to Compete this Time.
Neither goodwill nor forgiveness was intended by this. Kimia Alizadeh was celebrated as a national hero in Iran five years ago. Iranian authorities now actively sought her defeat.
After Alizadeh fled Iran, she said on Instagram that she was no hero. She was the kind of person who consciously decided to better themselves.
Shall I begin with Greetings, Farewells, or Condolences?
Last year, Alizadeh posted on Instagram. Hello, persecuted people of Iran; farewell, honourable people of Iran; sympathies, perpetually grieving Iranians. What is your level of familiarity with me?
She complained about the “compulsory hijab” she was had to wear and the “corruption and deceit” that were inherent to competing for Iran.
Having fled Iran for Germany, she was now a refugee competing in Japan, where she hoped to triumph over not just her Japanese opponent, but also her own history.
She Persisted Steadily till she had Completed her Task.
In the end, the score was 18-9. Then she gave a big hug to Chandeh, which isn’t the end of the narrative, but it’s a nice touch.
Leaving Iran was not motivated by a single taekwondo bout victory for Alizadeh. The sole purpose of her trip was not to compete in a taekwondo tournament and come out on top. The Olympic gold medal was something she desperately sought.
Alizadeh eliminated number one seed Jade Jones of the United Kingdom in the quarterfinals. After that, she ended up victorious over Lijun Zhou of China. Two wins would have given her the Olympic gold, but the Russian Tatiana Minina eliminated her in the semifinals.
With time on her side, Alizadeh may have won another bronze to go along with the one she won in Rio. That one she told Iran about. The lion’s share of this one would go to her.
In the bronze medal match, Alizadeh led Turkey’s Hatice lgün after the first round, trailed by one point after the second round, and ultimately lost 8-6. She shuffled to a nearby chair, sat down, and hung her head.
Conclusion
There had been five years of preparation, a single defection, countless hours of training, and incalculable amounts of worry that led her to this point.
She was sobbing as she left, her head covered with a towel in place of the mandatory headscarf. She was so upset that she couldn’t even face the media. It was entirely up to her.