Masomah Alizada, an award-winning road cyclist born in Afghanistan, shares her remarkable journey from being forbidden to ride a bike during her childhood to competing in the Olympics as part of the International Olympic Committee. Alizada's story is one of courage and resilience. Despite becoming a refugee at the age of one and a half, she has overcome numerous challenges to achieve her dreams. Today, she stands as a symbol of hope and inspiration, having been appointed as the Chef De Mission of the Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024, where she will lead the entire team of refugees in the Olympic Games.
Masomah Alizada was born in Sheikh Ali Parwan, Afghanistan, in 1996, but her time in her homeland was short-lived. Forced to flee due to the Taliban's initial control of the country, she sought refuge in neighbouring Iran. However, without proper documentation, Masomah and her family were stripped of basic rights. Renting a property, finding employment, or attending school became distant aspirations. Her first taste of education came through a community-based school established by Afghan refugees in Iran. Despite her challenging circumstances, Masomah held onto a dream: the hope of one day returning to Afghanistan.
Life in Iran
When I lived in Iran, the situation for girls and women was vastly different from that in Afghanistan. In Iran, we had the freedom to go outside and play, whereas in Afghanistan, girls were restricted from such activities. Riding bikes was considered completely taboo. I recall a moment during my studies when I simply wanted to borrow a classmate's bike, step outside, and see if I still remembered how to ride. Taking my classmate’s bike, I went into the yard, but as soon as I attempted to mount it, boys from other classes poured out with their bikes. They wanted to assert their dominance by riding alongside me. It was such an unusual sight for them to see a girl on a bike that they abandoned their classrooms just to witness it. I felt intimidated, so I retreated to my classroom. That day, I realized how unconventional it was for Afghans to witness a girl on a bike.
Cycling on Kabul Roads
Since I can recall, I have had a great passion for sports. In 2011, as a member of the sports team at Rabia Balkhi High School, we embarked on a journey to normalize girls riding bikes. Initially, the reactions to seeing girls on bikes were perplexing, but we persevered through the stares until they became accepted in society.
I realized that I needed to integrate this into our culture. However, I encountered numerous obstacles along the way, and I was determined not to let the next generation of girls face the same challenges. I wanted our society to recognize that if a man could use a bike as a means of transportation, so could a girl. It was a simple concept that needed acknowledgment.
Despite our efforts to maintain hope, the security situation deteriorated. One day, on our way to a competition, our coach was approached by a man who expressed disapproval of our team practicing in their neighborhood. He cited discussions in mosques about the impropriety of girls dressed in sports attire riding bikes in their area. However, we needed that space for training; it was convenient and provided the challenges we sought. Regrettably, we had to yield to the pressure, and we ceased practicing in that neighborhood.
In the Pursuit of a Safe Home
As a female bike rider, there were several challenges on my way. From societal barriers and disparities to the divide between Olympic committees and federations, security concerns, and the lack of adequate practice spaces. They all led to my immigration out of Afghanistan. So, I left in 2017 for France.
When I was in Afghanistan, the dream of attending the Olympics seemed impossible. It was a distant dream and hard to accomplish given the circumstances. When I first came to France and met all the professional athletes, I noticed how much respect there is for their work. So, they all had the same opportunities and chances of competing in worldwide competitions. They gave their all to sports and focused entirely on their goals. I wanted to be like that, but for me, things were different.
I was a refugee, and like all the other refugees, I had to learn the language, learn about the culture, or learn a skill. When I enrolled in university after some time, I was also competing in sports-I had not stopped my sports activities. I wanted to pursue bike riding on a professional level so that I could compete in worldwide competitions.
So, in the first year of my arrival, I started learning French. Later, I started doing my undergraduate degree, and at the same time, I was bike riding and competing in local competitions. And in those days, all I could think about was competing in the Olympics.
But that was when I heard the news. Our coach told us that as refugees, we do not have the right to represent our country in the Olympics, but there is another way. We could join the refugees representing no specific country and with the flag of the Olympics.
It was not the greatest news because I wholeheartedly wanted to compete with the name of Afghanistan in the Olympics and represent my own country, but now that I think about it; I became a refugee when I turned a year and a half old. My life has been defined by diverse experiences, so I could change my perspective. Rather than seeing my refugee status as a setback, I could embrace it as a source of strength, because all that has shaped me into the person I am today.
Living in Three Different Countries
As a refugee, I have always faced problems. In Iran, the discrimination against my identity and race as an Afghan refugee was a barrier to my goals. And just when I thought things would get better in Afghanistan, the discrimination was against not my race, but my nationality as a Hazara. But despite those hardships, when I look back, I see that those experiences have taught me lessons, and they have become reasons for me to stay motivated for working towards my goals; to show up even braver than before, and not be scared of failure.
When I was in Afghanistan, something common was that society would tell girls with goals and ambitions that they could never achieve them. They would tell girls that they do not have any rights or that they’re not strong enough to work for their goals. For instance, bike riding is a difficult sport and they did not think a girl could do something like that.
These societal pressures have been barriers to girls' self-confidence. It has made them worry about what other people would think of them, and how their actions might affect their reputation and their families. These things have killed girls’ dreams. They have not even let the seeds of those dreams grow and flourish.
But when I got to France and joined some of the competitions, I saw how other girls would challenge themselves. They would ride bikes in even longer distances (more than 100km) in the mountains and in adverse conditions. And I could also; by the passage of time, do the same thing. This made me realize how much the extent to which societal beliefs had influenced my self-doubt. For instance, when a girl wants to do something, say start a project, start playing a sport, or whatever, they doubt themselves. They get so scared that they don't even start. But they should. No matter what the results would be; they would fail or win. But trying it does not hurt. They have taken away the courage to try from girls.
Sometimes I compare my situation with the situation of girls in Afghanistan. Right now, I am a university student, I live on my own independently and do not need a man’s help in my day-to-day life, but when I think of Afghanistan, the society has put so much pressure on girls that they can't even go out on their own.
Integration with the Society Process
In the seven years I've lived in France, I don't feel fully integrated into society. However, the concept of integration can vary depending on others' perspectives.
Despite this, I have never experienced discrimination or racism here. While some believe it's challenging for Muslim women to live in France, it hasn't been an issue for me. I've been studying at university and now work part-time, and in these environments, I haven't observed any differential treatment because of my hijab. It's common for people to inquire about my hijab, particularly when I'm cycling in warm weather, but the questions have been asked respectfully. When questioned, I explain that wearing the hijab is rooted in my beliefs and values, and adhering to them isn't difficult for me.
Overall, the process of connecting with or becoming part of a country differs for each individual. This has been my personal experience, but certain factors, such as the people you choose to spend time with or whether you reside in a city or a town, can influence it. Fortunately, I've been surrounded by supportive individuals who respect my beliefs and values.
How Masomah's Dreams Coming True Have Affected Her
Before everything happened, I was struggling with low self-esteem. When I was invited to give speeches in different places, I would notice how everyone perceived me differently upon learning about my life journey. They were impressed and astounded; it's not easy to hail from a war-torn country, pursue a university education while competing in the Olympics, and still muster the courage to pursue one's dreams. So, whenever I was asked to share how I accomplished all this, people were moved and inspired by my words. They would express their gratitude, thanking me and praising me for my incredible strength. However, deep down, I couldn't bring myself to believe their words. I always thought what I had done was easy. But as I reflect on my life now, I am astonished. How could I simply hop on my bike and ride through the streets? These same streets where girls like Farkhunda would face stoning for acts of bravery. At the time, all I could think about was, "I want to normalize this." I was oblivious to the potential dangers that awaited me. Perhaps, as a young teenager, I wasn't considering the consequences of my actions—riding a bike in sports attire through the streets of Kabul. But now, I find myself questioning why.
How Masomah Finds Inspiration
When it comes to life lessons, we have experienced many trials, with more bad ones than good. For instance, in Iran, I didn't have the right to attend school. I struggled to participate in the community-based school set up by Afghan refugees, often trekking long distances because transportation was out of reach. My father not only had to provide for our family's basic needs but also invested heavily in my education. Despite these challenges, we persevered. Comparing those times to my current situation, there's been a significant change. Now, I have the freedom to choose between work and study and pursue whatever I desire. It would be a disservice to my past self to stop trying now that I have the freedom to work even harder. Thus, I find inspiration in my own life journey.
Hope for the future
It is difficult to imagine the situation of Afghan girls. So, being in a safe country, it is hard to imagine being in their shoes, but I can only hope everything changes. And it is very brave of them to keep that hope alive in this situation. I hope they continue to fuel their passion for learning using any small resources they have because maybe one day everything will change.
The world has been ignorant and silent about the girls of Afghanistan. But it is the responsibility of every one of us to raise awareness so that the girls are not forgotten. And I hope that every time we talk about them, it does have some kind of effect on their lives; to get back their basic rights and live freely again.
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