Soltani takes part in Paris
“I lost everything in a second”
Saman Soltani was once not allowed to return to Iran. Now the neo-Viennese is allowed to compete for the IOC refugee team at the Olympics.
A message tore Saman Soltani from her life in 2022. "Don't come back! They're looking for you!" She was referring to the moral guardians in Iran, in whose eyes she had done something unforgivable. Saman had flown to a synchronized swimming camp in Barcelona, which she practiced like canoeing, and had posted photos of herself without a hijab.
I had a job in Iran, a car, a good life. I lost everything in one second.
Saman Soltani
Even today, the 28-year-old understandably tears up when she thinks about that moment. "I had a job, a car, a good life in Iran. In one second, I lost everything." In her distress, she turned to the only person she knew in Europe, the German Uwe Schlokat, who lives in Vienna and whom she had met on his trip to Iran. He did not hesitate to advise her to come to him in Vienna. "I had no choice, so I flew here." Into a new world.
Depression and nightmares
It was the right decision, as it turned out when the unrest broke out in Iran, during which three of Saman's friends were killed. She suffered from depression and had nightmares every night. After some time, she started canoe sprinting again to take her mind off things and took part in a mixed competition. A new experience, as this is forbidden in Iran. The sport, in which she had won silver at the U23 Asian Games, helped Saman to regain her footing. Austria's canoeing association and her club PSV Vienna were just as much help as Uwe Schlokat, with whom she still lives.
"She belongs to us at heart"
She was allowed to compete at the 2023 national championships and won the 1000 meters. When the news came that she had been selected for the IOC refugee team, she jumped up and down with joy. The ÖOC had also campaigned hard for this. "It was very important to us to support Saman," explains Chef de Mission Christoph Sieber. And President Karl Stoss says: "Even though Saman is competing for the refugee team, she belongs to us at heart."
Ticket as a souvenir
Soltani's dream is to inspire as many people as possible around the world with her story and to take part in more Olympic Games in the future. Then officially for Austria, where a flight ticket from Barcelona once took her. She has kept it, by the way.
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