Kurdish marathoner Seyd Taha Ghaffari has endured more than most runners ever will- fleeing danger, losing his homeland, and rebuilding a life from scratch.
Originally from Iran, Ghaffari is part of the country’s Kurdish minority. In 2019, he faced growing threats and personal risk due to his circumstances. He made the life-changing decision to flee. Today, he competes under the Athlete Refugee Team. It is an initiative supported by World Athletics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
His emotional journey was recently featured in a video by World Athletics.
“For eight years I was running,” he says in the video. “I put my energy, my focuseverything—into running.”
But in 2019, survival became more urgent than training. With no steady income and no external support, Ghaffari took a dangerous and illegal job in Iran. He knew it wasn’t safe. After posting a photo of the job on Instagram, the response was immediate and overwhelming.
“Many people messaged me asking why I was doing this job. They were right, it was dangerous,” he says. “The problem grew bigger and bigger until I realized something serious could happen, between life and death. So I decided to leave.”
His departure from Iran was heartbreaking. “I saw my sister for just a few seconds, my father for two minutes, and my mother, five minutes, crying,” he recalls. “I didn’t even see my two brothers. You leave your family, your friends, everything you’ve built.”
He arrived in the UK in November 2019 with nothing but the clothes on his back. “When your house is on fire, you run,” he says. “You don’t think about your TV or washing machine. You just run.”
https://twitter.com/WorldAthletics/status/1938645257035386976
For Ghaffari, running became more than a sport, it was a pathway to healing. Watching people jog in UK parks rekindled his passion and gave him hope. “It gave me a good feeling, mentally and physically.”
How did the Journey begin?
Seyd Taha Ghaffari, met a man named Gary at a local track who introduced him to coach Tim Butler. Soon after, he was welcomed into running communities like Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Highgate Harriers, and Shettleston Harriers. They provided him with running shoes, training gear. However , most importantly was a sense of belonging.
“I started running again,” he says. “It felt like home. I felt like I was home.”
Now representing the Athlete Refugee Team at international events, Ghaffari is proving his potential on the global stage. He has clocked a personal best of 29:15.83 in the 10,000 meters and 30:08.95 in the 10K road race. Born on May 8, 1995, he began running at the age of 16 in his hometown of Chorr, Iran.
Backed by World Athletics, ASICS, and the IOC, Ghaffari embraces every opportunity that comes his way. “No excuses,” he says. “Everything is ready. Go and show yourself.”