Muna Dahouk’s next fight is for Syria’s future

Muna Dahouk is known to many judo fans as one of the defining athletes of the International Judo Federation Refugee Team. For years, she carried a story much bigger than results alone, one shaped by war, loss and the refusal to give up. Now that story has taken another powerful turn: after seven years as a refugee in the Netherlands, she has returned to Syria to help rebuild her country.

It is a decision that stands out for its courage. Muna said she wanted to go back not only because Syria is home, but because she felt a responsibility to contribute after everything the country has endured. She returned five months ago, hoping to use the experience and knowledge she gained abroad in service of Syria’s future.

Her return was deeply emotional. Muna described a painful contrast between what she saw during a brief visit in 2024, before the fall of the regime, and what she felt after returning following the liberation. Earlier, she saw a country marked by fear and hopelessness. Later, she saw people living freedom in a way that moved her deeply.

Today, she works in Syria’s newly established Ministry of Sports and Youth, in the youth sector. That role matches the belief she speaks about clearly: young people can be a force for positive change. For Muna, rebuilding is not only about institutions or infrastructure. It is also about giving the next generation the support to shape a different future.

Judo never stopped being part of her path.

The sport has followed her from the very beginning. Muna started judo at the age of six in a family fully connected to the discipline, with her father working as a judo coach. She described the tatami as part of everyday life for her and her siblings, a place where their first steps were taken.

Then war changed everything. The club where she grew up and trained was bombed and destroyed, and judo disappeared from her life as survival became the priority. At that point, she did not expect to practise again.

That changed through the IJF Refugee Team. What began as a chance to return to training became something much deeper. Muna said judo became a message of hope, showing that sport can offer a second chance even in the hardest circumstances.

She also found a bond inside the team that went beyond competition. Shared suffering, resilience and solidarity created something that felt like family. Those moments, both joyful and painful, remain close to her heart.

Now her focus is on helping others. Muna says Syria has many talented judoka, but not enough support, attention or opportunity. Her goal is to help young athletes continue chasing dreams that difficult circumstances can easily interrupt.

Her journey has moved from survival to support.

There is no dramatic finish line to this story, and maybe that is what makes it so real. Muna Dahouk’s path through judo, exile and return is not just about what she survived. It is about what she chose to build afterward, and who she hopes to lift with her along the way.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation