ROME, Italy — Iranian Taekwondo athlete Hadi Tiranvalipour, who was welcomed by the Italian Taekwondo Federation (FITA) in 2023, is set to graduate tomorrow with a degree in Sports Science — a remarkable milestone symbolizing resilience and integration through sport.

Upon arriving in Italy, Hadi quickly received support from FITA to obtain refugee status, thanks to the efforts of FITA President Angelo Cito and Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi. Since then, he has been training alongside the Italian national team at the Giulio Onesti Olympic Center, joining other refugee athletes from Ukraine and Afghanistan, and embracing FITA’s vision of sport as a vehicle for inclusion.

Hadi represented the IOC Refugee Olympic Team Paris 2024, carrying with him a powerful story of courage and new beginnings.

“His journey shows that sport can change lives,” said Cito. “We believed in him from the start, and his success reflects the true spirit of the Olympic values.”

In a touching gesture of solidarity, members of the Italian national taekwondo team, including Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist Vito Dell’Aquila, attended Hadi’s thesis defense, celebrating not only his academic achievement but also his personal journey.