They faced off on Thursday at the Paris Olympics in the 57kg category, and Alizadeh, who defected from Iran, lost in her bid to win gold for her new country, Bulgaria.
Current world champion Kiani Chande emerged victorious in a tense battle decided by the referee after the two women, both 26, finished level at seven points in the decisive third round.
The story of Kimia Alizadeh
Kimia Alizadeh was the first Iranian athlete ever to win an Olympic medal when she took bronze at Rio de Janeiro 2016.
According to the Seattle Times, her victory catapulted her to fame, but she became frustrated with life in Iran. When she announced she was leaving her country four years ago, she accused Iranian officials of gender discrimination and criticized the mandatory wearing of the hijab.
At the time, she described herself as “one of the millions of oppressed women in Iran.”
After heading to Germany, she became a member of the Refugee Olympic Team and came close to winning a bronze medal in Tokyo.
In April, Zadeh left the IOC team – which was created in 2016 to provide opportunities for victims of political persecution and war – when she announced that she had taken Bulgarian citizenship.
Confrontation against an Iranian player
As soon as her victory over Zadeh was announced, Kiani screamed with joy and celebrated with her coach. The two competitors did not even exchange glances as they left, and then refused to speak to reporters.
Asked if the match was politically charged, the head of the Iranian Taekwondo Federation said it was just a “very tough match.”
“This is sport, not politics. She is in the Bulgaria team now, and we respect everyone. Their relationship is not bad,” he said.
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