Moving stories

Refugees in Linz: “Death penalty looms in home country”

Nigara Shaheen (top left) and Vahid Sarlak (top right) are part of the IRT (International Refugee Team), which is also present in Linz.(Bild: zVg Sabau Gabriela Krone KREATIV,)

From Friday to Sunday, the Upper Austria Judo Grand Prix will take place in Linz with almost 600 judoka from 82 nations. Seven of them are part of a very special team made up entirely of refugees. The "Krone" spoke to two members of the "IRT" about their moving stories. 

"Every one of them is already a champion, it's so hard to imagine what they've been through. They had to fight so hard," says Vahid Sarlak. The Iranian-born coach has been the head coach of a very special judo team since 2021, which will also be taking to the mat at the Grand Prix in Linz on Friday. More precisely, with seven athletes who all have two things in common. They love judo and they had to flee war, terror and oppression.