Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games: Afghanistan’s Zakia Khudadadi makes debut after secret evacuation

On Thursday, Zakia Khudadadi entered the Makuhari Messe competition arena in Chiba wearing a white hijab for the opening match of the combat sport’s Paralympic debut.

Afghanistan’s Zakia Khudadadi competed in the Paralympic Games on Thursday (September 2), becoming the first woman from her country to do so since Athens 2004, after a secret international effort to help the taekwondo athlete get out of Taliban-controlled Kabul. The 22-year-old and her compatriot Hossain Rasouli arrived in Tokyo on Saturday via Paris after Khudadadi made a video appeal for help to leave the Afghan capital after the Taliban swept to power. On Thursday, Khudadadi entered the Makuhari Messe competition arena in Chiba wearing a white hijab for the opening match of the combat sport’s Paralympic debut. She became only the second woman to compete for Afghanistan at the Paralympics, which began in 1960. Khudadadi did not speak to reporters after her two matches, both of which she lost. Rasouli competed in the men`s long jump on Tuesday. Both athletes had said they did not wish to speak to the media.