Wael Shueb is a Syrian karateka. He lives in Germany where he arrived as a refugee after leaving war-torn Syria in 2015. Wael Shueb is one of two Refugee Olympic Team karatekas competing at the Tokyo Olympics.
Wael Shueb never imagined he would compete at an Olympics, let alone in Karate’s Games debut.
It’s been some journey. One of two male karatekas to be included in the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Refugee Olympic Team (EOR), the former Syrian champion fled his war-torn country in 2015 for his own safety and in search of a better life.
His epic and gruelling 30-day trip across Europe, which included a boat journey to Turkey on a rubber dinghy followed by a bike trip on the Balkan road through North Macedonia, was an almighty test of his powers of endurance and mental strength.
Shueb eventually made it to Germany, where he now lives and trains.
When the 33-year-old describes the “various difficulties” on his road to Tokyo 2020, he references the sports halls destroyed in the Syrian conflict that limited opportunities to practice Karate and his challenging journey to Germany. More recently, maintaining training amid the global COVID-19 pandemic has also been far from easy.
Wind back a decade or two and Shueb had less lofty aspirations as a teenager in Damascus. And years later when he worked in a textile factory and as a karate coach, he still never envisaged competing on the ultimate sporting stage.
Karate has played a vitally important role in helping Shueb to integrate into a new way of life in Germany. The IOC supported him through the Olympic Scholarships for Refugee Athletes programme, which is designed to raise awareness of the plight of over 80 million displaced people worldwide.
“Karate has played a big role in my life in Europe,” he confirms.
“Through Karate I have met many people and friends. I have learned the language. I have also completed my training as a coach. Through Karate I have also met people who have supported me and they continue to support me. Karate is simply my life.”
The IOC’s refugee team, which will compete under the Olympic flag, also includes Canada-based karateka Hamoon Derafshipour, originally of Iran, who will participate in the Kumite Men’s -67kg competition.
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©2020 – The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games
