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Afghan, female, refugee — and MMA fighter

April 5, 2025

Arezo Ahmadi fled from Afghanistan to fulfill her dream of becoming a mixed martial arts fighter. She's a symbol of defiance and a future that so many young Afghan women are denied. But Arezo's situation is unsafe. Political tensions are growing, Afghan immigrants are constantly stopped at checkpoints and threatened with expulsion, and even her journey to the gym has become fraught with danger.

https://p.dw.com/p/4shs2
Ali Kaifee
Ali Kaifee Journalist based in Islamabad, focusing on Pakistan and Afghanistan.aLyKayFee
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About the show

The DW Sports Life show logo is seen next to a composite image of a male athlete in a wheelchair, a female athlete holding up a skateboard and another female athlete flexing her right biceps

Sports Life — Overcoming Challenges with Sports

Everything we know about life can be found in sports: Success and failure, euphoria and despair. Sports Life tells stories from across the globe, where sports drives personal growth and changes lives.