InterviewFouda Ahmed's gold medal spotlights growing diversity in Korean sports

Fouda Moaz Ahmed, third from left, poses after winning the gold medal in the men’s college Greco-Roman 60-kilogram division at the National Sports Festival at BEXCO in Haeundae District, Busan. Courtesy of Fouda Moaz Ahmed

Fouda Moaz Ahmed, Korea’s first naturalized wrestler, won gold at the National Sports Festival — the country’s premier amateur athletics event often dubbed “Korea’s Olympics” — earlier this week, drawing attention to the growing diversity of the nation’s sports scene.

The 21-year-old Korea National Sport University student won the men’s college Greco-Roman 60-kilogram title with an 8-5 comeback victory in the final at the multisport event, held in the southern port city of Busan from Oct. 17-23.

Born in Seoul in 2004 to an Egyptian father and a Russian mother, he obtained Korean citizenship in May, following years of efforts to make the country his official home.

“It took me more than 10 years to finally become a Korean citizen,” Fouda told The Korea Times. “I’ve been applying since I was in elementary school, but I was too young and didn’t meet the financial requirements, so my applications were rejected for years.”

Fouda took up wrestling in his first year of middle school after a coach suggested he try the sport. As an Egyptian-Russian dual national, pursuing the sport in Korea without Korean citizenship was far from easy.

“I worried a lot because I couldn’t compete in major domestic events like the National Sports Festival or the National Junior Sports Festival due to not having Korean citizenship,” he said. “I felt envious as I watched my teammates go, win medals and celebrate, and I wanted to stand on that stage too.”

Born and raised in Korea, Fouda said it was frustrating to live with a Korean identity that was not recognized by law — going to school and sharing the same daily life as his peers, yet being barred from opportunities they could pursue.

This year, however, those long-held frustrations finally began to ease.

“I’m just happy I can finally compete and win,” Fouda said. “I wanted this gold medal for so long, and in a way, it feels like I’ve finally been able to let go of everything I’d been holding inside.”

His next goal is to become a world-class athlete.

“My goal is to stand atop the podium at major competitions like the Asian Games, the Asian Wrestling Championships and the Olympics.”